He said no
by Rosa241
Summary: ...didn't he? It's been almost a year since the events of the first film and life hasn't been all sunshine and roses for our favourite couple. They're both hurting, both without their love and under the belief the other doesn't want them. Just whose going to bang their heads together? WARNING: CONTAINS SLASH if this is not your cup of tea then don't read.
1. Vince Chapter One

**Please note this is nothing to do with the Forever series. This is another fic that I've had floating round on my computer for a few years now. I've always found Vince a hard character to write for some reason so I'd be interested in your opinions on whether this captures him correctly.**

* * *

 **Vince Chapter One**

 **By Rosa241**

Driving down an open road is always where I've felt the most at home, the most at peace. Sitting behind the wheel with nothing in front of me but concrete made me feel so relaxed. It was nice. It's really no secret that my temper is much worse than Dom's which is saying something. Being a hothead is something I've always had to contend with, something I've tried hard to reign in over the years to varying levels of success. On the open road I feel like I can clear my head and actually think. Driving has always been peaceful…but now…

Now I've got something so big on my mind that even an open road can't help.

It's been almost a year now since my accident. Almost a year since I was hanging off the side of a truck, since the buster risked his neck to save mine, since I was fighting for my life…since we lost Jesse. My heart still aches at the thought of my lost brother. Losing the kid tore us all apart. Honestly I don't know if we'll ever be able to get past that, not really, not fully. You don't just get past loosing family. You **never** get past it.

Three weeks in hospital recovering had taught me two things. Number one I **really** fucking hate hospitals (don't get me wrong I knew that already but still) and number two cops are stupid. Someway, somehow they didn't put my accident together with Dom and they believed my bullshit story about a carjacking. Quite how I came up with it on the spot is beyond me. Evidentially the trucker didn't come forward so maybe they really did believe my story. Either way it was easier than expected for Leon and Letty to bust me out of there. Coming back was too risky for Dom, no matter how much he wanted to it wasn't worth the potential of getting seen.

Those first couple of months after the break out was a blur. Most of my energy went on recovering and surviving so I didn't pay a huge amount of attention to what was going on around me. When the blur cleared we found ourselves running again. Honestly we've been running nonstop ever since that day.

None of us liked the idea of running but what other choice did we have?

We couldn't stay around and wait to see if the cops decided they had enough evidence to press charges. So far we hadn't come across any clear indications that people were searching for us but it wasn't a risk we could take. The effects of running however was beginning to take its toll on us all.

Dom was getting more and more stressed as the days flew by. His temper was growing more and more out of control. He hated running, he hated being on the back foot but more importantly he hated feeling like he'd let us down. It wasn't his fault and we all know it but he couldn't see that. We're all adults, we all made the decision to get involved with Dom and we all knew the risks. Even Jesse. My brother just couldn't see it.

Letty was at her wits end. She just didn't know what to do anymore. I know more than anything it's her worry that's killing her. Worrying about what the future holds, worrying about whether there's cops at the next turn, worrying about how long Dom can hold on…

Leon simply didn't know what to do. Ever since he'd come to join our group he'd taken his cues from Dom. We both did. Dom made the decisions and we made it happen. Something inside both of us knew that we could trust him to make the right choices when the shit hit the fan. The problem is that Dom isn't thinking clearly right now, he's scared, he's angry and he's hurting. All these choices he's making aren't being made with a clear goal in sight, he's just trying desperately to keep us all safe.

As for me…

Well the whole thing is getting to me too but there's something else I can't keep out of my head.

Brian.

The buster has been on my mind pretty much every day since I last saw him.

He saved my life.

He risked his own life to save mine.

He could have been shot or run over but he did it anyway.

He avenged Jesse.

He let Dom go.

He's a cop.

And that last one was where all the problems revolved. Brian was a cop. I was right. Not that I wanted to be of course but the fact is that I was. He was a cop. Part of me still hates him for that but the other part of me…

Another part of me still loves him.

That's right. Love.

I still love him after everything.

Thinking back over our first kiss it still makes me smile.

 _Flashback:_

 _Slamming him up against the wall I can't help the growl that rips from my throat. For the first time since he showed up he actually looks scared. I know I should feel bad about that but I just can't._

 _Ever since he showed up here it's like everything's started to change and I don't like it. Our lives were fine before he showed up. I don't trust him._

 _His eyes flicker around the room briefly before settling on me again. There's no one around of course, it's just the two of us. I can feel the nerves radiating off of him and the thought of his fear makes me smile. Good. He should be afraid. Busters messing with my family and that's not something I take lightly._

" _Something wrong Vince?" Naturally he's trying to be cocky but he can't hide the shaking in his voice. He's afraid._

" _ **You**_ _are what's wrong." I grind out after a few minutes of complete silence. "You show up here and start messing with my family. You don't get to do that. You don't get to hurt my family cop. I won't allow it."_

" _I haven't hurt any of them!" He yells as he tries desperately to escape my grip. The arm across his chest doesn't move and, as he squirms again, I slam my free hand hard on the wall next to his head. The loud bang echoes around the room causing him to go rigid._

" _Yet!" Snarling at him I lean in closer. "But you're going to and I won't let that happen."_

" _Vince please listen to me. The last thing I want is to hurt anyone." Something in his voice throws me a little. If I didn't know him any better then I'd say he was actually serious. Apparently he senses my hesitation because he continues. "I haven't come here to hurt your family, I wouldn't actively go out of my way to hurt them…any of them. I promise you."_

 _What happens next I can't explain. Something inside of me just urges me to surge forward. If it wasn't for exactly what I'm doing then I'd find the look on his face comical. As I press my lips to his an electric shock passes through me. The sensation of his lips on mine is something I'll never be able to forget no matter how long I live. In all it only lasts for a few seconds but it feels like a lifetime._

 _Pulling away I half expect him to try to kick my ass or at the very least punch me in the face. Taking my arm off of his chest I step backwards, my eyes never leaving his. For a few minutes we both stand there just staring._

 _What the hell did I just do?_

 _Where did that come from?_

 _His fingers twitch as they rise up to brush against his lips. The actions causing a shot of something straight through my body and down to my groin. I can't stop my eyes following the path of his fingers as they trace his lips. As he drops his hand I shoot my eyes back up to his._

 _Suddenly he presses forward, coming to stand just centimetres away from me. I can feel his breath on mine and again a jolt goes straight down to my groin. Something inside me is urging me to react, to bridge that small gap and reignite that electric feeling. I can't though. I want to but I can't. Taking the decision away from me he closes the distance and presses his lips against my own._

 _Instantly I wrap both arms around his waist and press him back against the wall. He grunts slightly as he hits the bricks but doesn't break away from the kiss. When his hands move to lie on my chest I almost think he's going to push me away. He doesn't. Instead he grabs two fistfuls of my t-shirt and pulls me closer. My body comes to press against his as our kiss deepens._

 _As my tongue touches his lips he takes the hint and opens his mouth. A groan releases from my mouth as I feel my tongue finally touch his. As our kiss continues to deepen, more and more passion pouring out of both of us, his hands slide up my chest and wrap around my neck. It's like we just can't get any closer but we're both trying to._

 _Quite how long we spend pressed up to the wall I don't know but I know I don't ever want to part from him. Our make out session halts merely to take in air, we don't stop however. I don't think I could even if I wanted to. Not that I want to. I don't ever want to stop kissing him. Eventually though we're forced to part when the familiar sound of my cell phone blares through the empty garage._

 _We jolt apart like someone's lit a fire between us and for a moment neither says a word. As I answer the phone I turn my back on him but I can still feel his eyes trained on me. By the time my conversation with Dom ends my body has calmed down. We work in awkward silence for the next ten minutes before an excitable Jesse enters. As he takes Brian off to one side I breathe a sigh of relief and lean back against the car I've been pretending to work on._

 _What the hell did I just do?_

 _End Flashback_

Despite the awkward tension that settled between us in the days following the kiss we'd somehow worked our way through it. For the next week we tip toed around each other, sharing confused glares across the garage, before finally everything exploded. In the end Dom had gotten so sick of the tension that he'd actually locked the two of us in the basement and told us (in no uncertain terms) to deal with our shit.

I still remember the way that he practically launched himself at me as the door slammed shut. For a split second I considered pushing him away before wrapping my arms around his body and pulling him ever closer. Something inside of me settles into place as our lips move together. It feels like this is exactly how things should be, him and me together. That was the moment when I'd realised just where this tension came from, just why I hated him so much.

His flirting with Mia was pissing me off so much, not because of her, but because of him. I was attracted to him. Now that I allowed myself to think about it I know that I'd felt some sort of pull towards him from the moment I first met him. Since the first day I felt something.

Following the night in that basement we both jumped head first into our relationship. No one seemed surprised that we were together, apparently they'd sensed it from the beginning. Would have been nice if someone had told the two of us that. Dom had a slight issue with Brian having apparently led Mia on. Thankfully after the blonde pulled her aside and had a lengthy conversation they'd made their peace with each other. After that Dom had come round pretty quickly.

For the few weeks we were together things progressed so quickly. Neither of us was open to one night stands, if we were doing this then we were going to do this for real. Something inside of me clenched at that thought.

It wasn't for real though was it?

He played you.

He played you are you're **still** in love with him!?

My heart clenches painfully at the reminder. I was just a means to an end for him. It didn't matter that I'd fallen in love with him, he was just using me. Thinking about it makes me remember the moment I realised just how badly I'd fallen for him.

 _Flashback:_

 _For a moment I almost think he's passed out before his eyes flutter open and he huffs out a small laugh. Rolling onto my side I turn to face him, smiling at the content look he's got on his face. Pressing a kiss to his lips he returns it and for a moment I loose myself in this feeling. The feeling of his lips on mine, him lying here with me, the feeling of his body next to my own. Pulling away I roll over onto my back, not surprised when he shuffles closer and presses himself into my side. I've never been one for cuddling but just like with everything else he breaks the rules again._

" _This feels nice." Whether he's referring to the wonderful afterglow, my fingers running through his curls or the fact that we're together I don't know. Something in me hopes it's the last one._

 _I say nothing to his words but press a kiss to the top of his head and tighten my grip on him. It's been only three weeks since that night in the basement but I feel like we've been together for so long. I've never felt like this before. I've never felt like I do when I'm with him. He's different than the others that I've been with._

 _As he slowly begins to drift off, his head cushioned on my chest, something in my mind finally clicks._

 _There's a reason why things feel different with him…_

 _Why I feel so comfortable?_

 _Why I feel so at home with him?_

 _Why I feel so drawn to him?_

 _I'm in love with him._

 _End Flashback_

I'd never told him about my realisation. It was too soon. Telling someone you were in love with them just a few short weeks after you got together was asking for trouble. There was no way that he could possibly feel the same way. But what if…

What if he did?

What if I'd said something?

What if he wasn't a cop?

What if he hadn't abandoned me?

It had been three months now since Dom had finally called Mia, having decided that enough time had passed that it would be safe for her to join us. Leaving Mia behind hadn't been easy on my brother but he wasn't nearly ready to risk her safety. He knew that she'd end up being watched, he wanted to wait long enough to let things die down before he brought her out here.

When he'd taken me aside and told me what he wanted to do half of me thought he was crazy. I mean I was seriously tempted to send his ass to the nearest hospital to get checked out. Bringing Brian here?

What the hell would that achieve?

Dom was convinced that Brian was for real, that he had been trying to help us all along. I didn't want to believe it but part of me hoped. He just knew that for some reason the younger man had tried to help us. Thinking about it now still confuses me.

Brian risked his life to save me from that truck. He didn't do it because he was a cop or because he wanted to arrest me, he did it to save my life. That trucker could have easily killed him but he did it anyway.

He blew his cover to get that copter to me. If he hadn't…

I don't even want to think about that. He didn't know how Dom would react, for all he knew the guy could have killed him on the spot.

He avenged Jesse. After my brother had been killed he wasted no time jumping into a car and racing off after them. He could have arrested them, brought them in but no. No he killed him instead.

Then he let Dom go. The police were minutes away, Dom couldn't have run and Brian had a gun trained on him but he let him go. The guy handed over his own car keys and let a known criminal escape.

Cops don't do those kinds of things because it's part of their job.

Those kinds of things….those are the things you do for family.

That's why I'd agreed with Dom's plan. His plan to have Mia extend an invitation to my boy. She'd go to Brian before meeting up with them and give him the opportunity to join us. The truth is I think we all wanted him here with us. Of course we were still a little mad at him, he lied to us after all, but somewhere along the lines he became family. The fact that neither Letty nor Leon argued with us when we explained our plan clearly told us how they felt. I still swear that I saw Leon breathe a sigh of relief when we told them.

For ten glorious days I'd allowed myself to believe that he'd join us.

For ten days I held close the belief that he'd just drive up with Mia. That I'd wrap my arms around him and we'd be okay. That we could just pick up where we left off.

Life however had different plans.

When Mia had stepped out of that car alone and sent me a sad shake of the head I knew.

I knew there are then that it wasn't real.

He didn't love me like I did him.

He didn't feel the same way that I did.

It wasn't real.

* * *

 **I hope you enjoyed that. I know that this is my favourite of the two fast and furious stories that I've got and I really like the ideas that I've got planned for this. I hope you do too.**


	2. Brian Chapter Two

**So what's our favourite cop, well ex-cop, been up to this last year? Well read on and we'll find out.**

* * *

 **Brian Chapter Two**

 **By Rosa241**

Sighing as I stretch out on the lumpy mattress I know full well I won't sleep tonight. I haven't really slept in the last year. Not since that day. The day my world fell apart.

In all my life I've never felt like I was at home. Even as a child I didn't feel like I had a real home. My parents were never really around. My dad was never around when I was a kid, by the time I was five his drunken ass had pretty much abandoned me completely. He came back from time to time before his death when I was fifteen but he was never really my dad. As for my mom well…

If there was anyone in the world that shouldn't have ever been a mother then it was her. There the drugs, the drink and not to mention the hundreds, if not thousands, of men she paraded through my life. Part of me still feels awful for the thought but her death had been the kindest thing to happen.

For a while things were settled when he'd moved in with Rome and Maria. Maria was the kind of mother he'd always imagined that he'd have. She was kind hearted, cared deeply and I always felt like she was on my side. For a while I started to see what it was like to have a family. Then Rome had gotten arrested.

When Rome had gotten sent to juvie Maria had looked at me like it was all my fault. Like somehow I should have stopped him. She threw me out the night her so got sentenced and I haven't seen either of them since. Clearly she didn't care about me like I thought.

For some reason I had it in my head that if I became a police officer then I'd have a family. I'd spent my youth watching all those cop shows. The officers were so close they were basically family and truth be told that's all I ever wanted. A family. Turns out real life wasn't like that. Don't get me wrong I had some amazing friends in the force but they were never my family. It never felt right.

Tanner was about the closest I ever had but that was gone now. The look he gave me when he realised what I'd done is something I'll never forget. He just looked at me like I was a completely different person, like I was as bad as those scum bags we picked up off the street. That look tore right down into my heart. I tried to talk to him but he made it perfectly clear that he wasn't interested. He'd risked his career to cover for me, to stop me going to jail, but even he couldn't stop them from firing me. The day I was fired he uttered the words I never want to hear again.

" _I don't ever want to see you again."_

It hurt.

It killed me to hear those words from someone I thought was my family but there was still hope. As soon as I left the station I made my way to the hospital to see Vince. I **had** to see Vince.

But I was too late.

He'd upped and disappeared. He just vanished into thin air.

I wanted to be glad, to be happy that he was safe, that he wasn't going to get arrested but I just couldn't. He'd gone. He was really gone.

Don't get me wrong it's not like I just expected him to forgive me but I thought that if I could explain. If I could just tell him how I felt then maybe…

But that was stupid. It was wrong.

Despite the year that had passed since the day we'd parted my feelings were just as strong as ever. I still loved him. Honestly I don't know when I fell for him but seeing him lying there on the dirt, dying in front of me, I knew that I couldn't lose him.

I loved him a year ago and I still love him now. Something in my heart tells me that's never going to change. Don't get me wrong I'm not naïve enough to believe that he was perfect. Vince had his faults. He was hot headed, bad tempered, foul mouthed and impulsive but in the short time we'd been together I found out that his good qualities far outweighed the bad.

Vince was loyal. God was he loyal! No matter what he would never have betrayed Dominic or the family. Honestly I think he would have rather died than go through that.

He was a lot smarter than people gave him credit for. I'm not saying he was Albert Einstein or anything but he was street smart. He knew from the minute he laid eyes on me that I was a cop, not because he was a genius, but because he knew how to read me. It's like he could read everything about me just from that first meeting.

The brunette was the kind of man who put his all into everything he did. As he'd once told me:

'If a jobs worth doing then you sure as hell better do it right!'

I'd laughed at the time but the more I think about it the more I see that he lived his entire life by those rules. He gave everything to our relationship and I ruined that. Involuntarily my mind flashes back to the moment everything changed between us.

 _Flashback:_

 _He slams me up against the wall with such force that for a second it knocks the air right out of me. The growl that he releases actually frightens me. That look in his eyes, the anger that is clearly raging through them sends a shiver down my spine._

 _Gazing quickly round the room I mentally slap myself. What the hell is it I'm expecting to see? We're the only ones here. No one's going to help me out of this one. Despite my instincts telling me to stay quiet the words escape me before I can stop them._

" _Something wrong Vince?" The shaking in my voice betrays the confidence I was hoping to give off. For a moment he says nothing and his heavy breathing is the only noise that I can hear._

" _ **You**_ _are what's wrong. You show up here and start messing with my family. You don't get to do that. You don't get to hurt my family cop. I won't allow it."_

" _I haven't hurt any of them!" As the pressure of his arm on my chest increases I can't help trying to escape. As I try desperately to free myself from his grip he slams his hand against the wall next to my head. The sound echoes around the room and I feel myself freeze in place._

" _Yet!" He leans in so close that I can feel his breath on me. "But you're going to and I won't let that happen."_

" _Vince please listen to me. The last thing I want is to hurt anyone."_

 _The pressure on my chest loosens ever so slightly and there's a hesitation in his eyes. For a second I think he believes me. Looking into his eyes I pick the words I say next carefully. "I haven't come here to hurt your family, I wouldn't actively go out of my way to hurt them…any of them. I promise you."_

 _For a second I think he's going to punch me, scratch that I'm sure he's going to punch me, but what actually happens is so far from that I can't even begin to explain it._

 _He kisses me._

 _The jolt of pleasure that courses through my body at the action shocks me. I don't move my lips but god do I want to. After a second he pulls back looking just as surprised as me. From the fear on his face it's clear that he wasn't planning on doing that. Whether that makes me feel better or not I don't know. He steps backwards, his arm dropping from its position across my chest, and just stares._

 _I can see the panic rising across his face as the silence drags on. Hesitantly I brush my shaking fingers against my lips, watching closely as he follows the movement with his eyes. Leaving them in place for a second I watch as his eyes darken before I pull my fingers away._

 _Just like that the spell is broken and his eyes snap back up to meet my own. In that second I make a decision that's probably going to get me killed. Taking a step forward I come to stop just mere centimetres away from him. His lips so close I can feel his breath on my face. He twitches slightly and right there I know he wants to kiss me. I can feel it. When he makes no move however I take the decision out of his hands._

 _Surging forward I press my lips against his. The effect it has on him is instantaneous. Both strong arms wrap tightly around my waist and he pushes me backwards. A small grunt is swallowed up by his mouth as my back collides with the wall. Sliding both hands up his chest I grab two fistfuls of his shirt and pull him closer still. Not that we can really get any closer since he's already pressed right against me but it's not enough._

 _My mouth opens eagerly as I feel his tongue against my lips. The groan he releases as his tongue slips into my mouth goes straight through my body and lands in my groin. The pleasure flowing so freely through me, the electricity I feel each time his tongue swipes against my own, it's like nothing I've ever felt before. Without thinking about it I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him closer still._

 _We stay together, pressed up against the wall, for what feels like hours. Our mouths part only briefly to take in air but quickly reattach. The feeling that's coursing through me is something that I don't think I could ever forget. I don't know what's going on here but I_ _ **do**_ _know that I don't ever want to stop kissing him. Unfortunately this little slice of heaven can't last and we jump apart at the sound of his cell phone._

 _Vince turns his back to me as he answers the phone, his voice coming out slightly breathless as he speaks. The whole time he's on the phone I can't take my eyes off of him._

 _We just kissed._

 _He kissed you._

 _I kissed him back._

 _I liked kissing him._

 _I'd kiss him again in a heartbeat if I could._

 _End Flashback_

The feeling of kissing him, the feeling of his lips on mine is something I just can't forget. I've tried to but I can't. It's like he's addictive, kissing him is addictive. Just thinking about that kiss makes my body react in ways that I choose to ignore.

I can't think about him that way…I just can't!

We're not together anymore.

He doesn't want me.

Why the hell would he want me when I ruined everything?

I should never have let myself get involved with him. He was a target, a case and I let my heart get involved. How could I be so stupid!? For a while back there I really felt like that was it. That was the place I was meant to be. I screwed everything up when I got involved.

Should I have told the police the truth?

Should I have come forward about what they were doing?

Shaking my head I force that thought out of my mind. No way in hell! I can't even believe that thought came into my head. As much as knowing that he doesn't want me hurts, at least I know that he's out there. I know that he's safe and free. Even though he doesn't love me anymore I still feel…well I wouldn't call it happy but it feels nice to know that he's not stuck behind bars. The guilt in my heart grows every single day. I lied to him when he trusted me. I've destroyed his family and to top it all off now he's on the run because of me. Just the thought that he could have ended up in prison is too much for me to handle.

A rapid beeping shocks me back down to earth and out of my brain. Slamming my hand down on the alarm clock I sigh as I prepare for another day. Shaking my head I attempt to force thoughts of Vince out of my head which is no easy task.

Honestly I don't think it ever will?

* * *

 **So that's the background now on both characters. The general format of this fic will work as follows. Each chapter will swap points of view, taking turns between Vince and Brian. Since this chapter was Brian's point of view the next will go back to Vince's point of view.**


	3. Vince Chapter Three

**So here we go. Another update ready for your reading pleasure. I'm glad to see that people have read this and thank you so much to those of you that have left kudos. I am grateful for your support. To be quite honest I've never actually considered posting this so I don't really know where I'm going with it but I'll keep going.**

* * *

 **Vince Chapter Three**

 **By Rosa241**

Gazing at the scene around me I can feel the happiness starting to seep into my heart. I can feel the familiar excitement creeping up into me. Something inside of me pulls slightly at the scene but I focus instead on the other feelings. Pushing aside the darkness that has settled within me since…since before, I turn my attentions back to my family.

For the first time I can see the old Dom shining through. For this brief moment in time we can forget our troubles and focus on the here and now. We can focus on this night right here. For now we can forget our past, our current troubles and ignore whatever the future holds. For tonight we can focus on racing. Focus on what we do best. Letty's bright laughter snaps me out of my thoughts and allows me to bury the darkness once again.

"Come on buddy lets get you a drink." Leon guides me through the crowd towards the rest of our family and passes a drink into my hands. Looking around at their happy faces almost makes me feel whole again. The problem is I'll never be whole not while…

Trailing off I shake my head and attempt to remove the thoughts from my mind.

"Alright so how much have we made so far?" Letty and Dom turn their attentions to Leon's question and I try to follow their conversation.

"Let's see I got 3 from my race with tall, dark and stupid over there." She nods towards the tail end of the crowd where a particularly disgruntled looking group are glaring her way. To be fair to them she did thoroughly humiliate the man. "And Leon you got 2 from tweedle dee and tweedle dum, Dom…"

 _You'll never be whole not while he's still missing._

My traitorous mind completes my former thought. As much as I try to brush it off I can't help but allow the thoughts to consume me. Whilst he's still out there without me I don't think I can ever move on. That pulling inside me starts up again and I try once more to force it away.

"Vince what about you? You ever plan on racing tonight?" Dom nudges my shoulder when I don't instantly reply. He knows where my thoughts are trailing tonight. Since the day Mia arrived, bringing with her the knowledge that Brian truly didn't feel the same way I've had this darkness building inside of me. This darkness filling the space where my feelings for him lay. I almost wish Dom had never come up with this plan. I almost wish he'd never suggested bringing Brian back to us. If I'd never thought about it then I'd never had held that hope within me, I'd never have thought that his feelings for me were real.

"V! Wake up man!" Dom nudges me a lot more forcefully this time but it grabs my attention.

"Sorry man. Just wondering which loser I'll be taking down tonight." Letty smirks at my words and Dom forces a grin but Leon doesn't. He sighs but a pointed glare from our leader, which I choose to ignore, forces him to close his mouth. They're not fooled but they pretend to be. They pretend not to notice that my mind drifts to the man more and more lately. They pretend not to see the way that I force the smile onto my face, something that gets harder and harder to do every single day.

"I can't do this." Leon finally murmurs. He ignores Dom's glare and turns towards me with a sad expression.

"Leon let it go." Letty warns as her eyes flicker between the two of us for a few moments. He ignores her as well.

"No. No I'm sorry but I can't do it anymore. What if we go back?" Rolling my eyes I turn to walk away but he pulls me back instead. "Vince listen to me. You can pretend you're over him all you want but I know you still love him. I know that you still think about him, you can't stop! What if we go back and speak to him? Maybe he was scared before, maybe he was angry or upset or-"

"Stop!" The words don't come out with the force that I intended but it has enough of an effect on him. "Just stop. Alright? Stop. He wasn't confused, or scared or angry…it wasn't real. The whole thing was a ploy to get close to us."

Although I say the words there's still part of me that doesn't actually believe it. There's still a part of me that actually wants to believe that he was actually in love with me.

"No, no it wasn't. Vince I don't really know what was going on with him but I do know one thing. I know that whatever he felt for you was real." Leon's words are meant for comfort but instead they drive a dagger into my heart. _I can't hear those words, I can't…_

"Please just stop. I can't…" For the first time I don't stop the words that are ready to pour out of my mouth, I don't stop them or put a halt to them. "I can't stop thinking about him, alright? I can't! Every second of every minute of every hour of every day I spend trying to force myself not to think about him. Do you realise just how hard it is? Do you realise that in the last two and a half years I haven't been able to even consider getting over him? I can't go back. I can't go back there and see him again, I can't alright!?"

Turning round I walk away from the scene in front of me and head off as fast as I can. I'd have thought that in the last two and a half years my feelings would have passed. I keep hoping that I'll wake up one morning and it'll all just be gone. It never happens though and I honestly don't think it ever will. As much as I find my anger at his actions so impossible to deal with I just can't believe that I'll ever stop feeling like I do.

I don't think I'll ever not be in love with him.

How the hell am I meant to deal with that?

How am I supposed to live with the knowledge that I'm going to be in love with him for the rest of my life?

In love with someone that I'll never be able to have.

In love with someone who'll never love me back.

Something inside of me cripples at those words. That's the worst part of this whole thing. It's bad enough that he played me but to let me fall for him and then just walk away. He knew just how much I cared about him and he let it go on, he let me feel like we could be together. Something deep inside of me just breaks even more at that thought.

Dropping my head into my hands I try desperately to ignore the thoughts entering my mind. Trying desperately to force myself to stop thinking of him. It won't work forever but if I can just get him out of my mind, if I can' just stop thinking of him for just a little bit then I'll be okay. I'll be-

"Seriously Rome just let it go alright!" The familiar voice goes through me like a bullet. Spinning round towards the direction of the voice I can feel the shock going through me.

"Vince man we need to talk." Dom's hand comes down on my shoulder but his words don't truly register with me. "Vince?"

Eventually he follows my shocked gaze and I don't need to be looking at him to envision the furious look across his eyes.

* * *

 **And I believe I'll leave it there for a while. So just what is Brian doing here? Well I'm sure I'll let you know at some point.**


	4. Brian Chapter Four

**Hello again! So just what exactly is Brian doing at the street race, well let's find out.**

* * *

 **Brian Chapter Four**

 **By Rosa241**

Gazing round at the mess of people standing around here I can't help but sigh. This isn't how I pictured my life. Sure I have a clean record now but that's all I have. The one thing I don't have, the one thing I'll never have is…

 _Don't go there Brian, not now, not tonight…_

This is supposed to be a happy night. We're meant to be celebrating, I can't do that if I let my mind drift to him. Just tonight I need to not think about him, to not think about the war raging inside of me. Shaking my head I force myself to go over recent events.

It's been two and a half years since everything happened and so much has changed. Back then I'd never have imagined sacrificing everything for those people – I refuse to entertain the idea of family, I just can't. Back then I couldn't have even begun to foresee the events that would shape my life. Getting fired, ending up on the street racing circuit, having the FBI beg for my help, finding Rome again…

When Rome and I took down Verone I figured we'd go our separate ways but to my complete relief he didn't. My entire body sagged in relief when he told me he wanted to hang around. Ever since things kicked off with _them_ I've been alone. I've been alone most of my life so I can't say that being alone was something new but after everything that happened I just couldn't do it again. I'd felt so much at home only to have everything ripped away from me in one moment. Being alone again after feeling like I'd found what I've been searching for was hell. Having Rome back wasn't the same, I still didn't have _him_ , but having my best friend back in my life stopped the loneliness from shattering me.

"Oh man not this again!" Romes voice brought me from my head and back onto reality. "I thought you were over that boy!"

"Shut up Rome." Telling him about everything that happened had instantly helped make everything feel so much better. Talking about it helped. Talking about it helped me to make sense of all that was going on inside my head. At least it had at first. Rome seemed to be under the belief that I needed to get laid and move on. Don't get me wrong I know that he's right, I just don't want him to be right.

"Seriously man you have got to get over him already. Let it go." He shakes his head as he hands me the beer.

"I know. I know." For a while we descend into silence. I know that I have to get over him, to move past them, but I just don't want to. Moving past it all means that I have to accept that that's it. It means accepting that I'll never be back with them, that I'll never be back with Vince.

 _Even thinking his name hurts…_

"Listen man I've been thinking. We've got clean records now. As far as the world is concerned I've never been inside and you didn't get fired for aiding and abetting a criminal gang. We can start over." Rolling my eyes I almost want to stop him. "Hear me out man. We can head back home, we can start up that garage we used to talk about so much when we were kids."

"It's not that I don't want to Rome, you know I'd love to go back home but…" He sighs heavily as he slides off the bonnet of the car we've been sitting on. Shaking his head he gives me such a disappointed look that I almost duck my head in shame.

"You don't want to go back cause it reminds you too much of your boy. Its been what? Two and a half years? Man you need to grow up and let it go. It ain't going to happen so get over it." We've had this argument so many times but I can still feel the familiar anger that bursts through me at his words.

"No, you know what Rome you're the one that needs to drop it. I can't just switch off my feelings man, life doesn't work that way. God I wish it did! I wish I didn't have to feel like this but I don't know what to do anymore. I can't stop the way that I feel. I just can't." I can feel the sympathy radiating off of him but I know that there's anger hiding beneath him. He just doesn't understand.

"It's like you ain't even trying man. All you do is think about him, every second of the damn day I can see you thinking about him. Thinking about them. I can garuntee that Vince ain't thinking about you Brian. He's probably got a girl wrapped around him right now."

The thought of that stings more than anything else in the world. Just thinking about him with someone else sends such pain through me that I actually think my heart might be breaking.

"Seriously Rome just let it go alright!" A few eyes turn towards us as my yelling catches their attention. He shakes his head but says nothing more, evidentially realising that he's said more than enough. Glaring at him for a minute I finally turn my back. This was supposed to be a happy night. We were meant to be talking about the future, making plans, not arguing about my past.

Staring out into the crowd I take a minute to stare at the faces passing me by. Watching all these people just hanging around, not a care in the world, calms me slightly. It's now as I'm watching the crowd that one familiar face catches my eye. It doesn't matter how long I live I'll never forget those eyes, that face…him.

"Vince?" For a moment the world stops turning, for a moment my heart stops beating, for a moment everything falls into place. Almost as soon as our eyes meet the moment is over. He turns round so quickly and heads off in the other direction before I can even blink.

 _He's here._

 _He walked away._

 _But he's here._

 _He's okay._

 _He's here._

"You have got a lot of explaining to do blondie!" Doms familiar growl breaks me out of my internal cycle and sets my body into motion.

"Vince! Wait!" He makes no move to stop and I make to go after him before a strong hand takes hold of me.

"You're going nowhere." He hauls me to the side, ignoring Rome's angry shouting, his grip on my upper arm never wavering. "You've got a lot of explaining to do. How the hell could you do that to him?"

"You think I wanted that! You think I actually wanted to have him hate me? I'd have given anything to have a way out of that situation but there wasn't any. And you know what, if I hadn't have broke my cover then Vince would have died so you know what? Go to hell." I try to break his grip, go after the man whilst I still can but he refuses to let go.

"Seriously? That's all you've got to say? After what you've done to him that's all you've got to say." Glaring into the eyes of the man I risked my career to protect I can feel all the anger from the past two years come screaming up.

"I'm not the one who left! You're the ones who took off! He's the one who left me!" For a moment it looks like he's going to say something but I cut him off. "No, no you don't get to stand here and tell me that **I'm** the one who broke his heart. He took off and left me, never even gave me a chance to explain anything, Christ he could have been dead for all I know! Do you think that was easy? Do you honestly think that I just forgot how I felt!?"

"You still love him?" It comes out as a question and my mouth goes completely dry. In the last two years I've tried so hard not to think those words. Out of the corner of my eye I can see Rome gazing between the two of us with a confused expression. Forcing my attention back onto Dom I finally open my mouth and say the words that have haunted me all this time.

"Yes. I still love him." His eyes widen in a way that I'd find comical if it weren't for the seriousness of the situation.

"Then why didn't you come?" Confusion reigns down on me as he speaks.

"What are you talking about? Come where? I didn't know where you were Dom! Don't you think I would have been there in an instant if I knew where you were!" He says nothing for a while but eventually the look on his face softens and something akin to realisation passes over his face.

"Brian when was the last time you spoke to Mia?" Mia? What the hell?

"Um…the day that…the day that Jesse died. That's the last time I saw her." He stares at me for so long that I almost turn and walk away but something keeps me here. When, after a few minutes, he says nothing I break the silence. "Dom, what's going on?"

* * *

 **Oooh, what exactly is going on? What did Mia do? Or more importantly, what didn't she do? Keep reading and you'll find out.**


	5. Vince Chapter Five

**Big thanks to everyone who's read this. I wasn't sure whether or not it was going to go okay seeing as I've never actually posted in the fast and furious section but it seems to be relatively popular (meaning I've had no complaints). Anyway back onto what you all came here for…the next chapter!**

* * *

 **Vince Chapter Five**

 **By Rosa241**

 _He's here…_

 _How the hell can he be here!?_

 _What the hell is going on?_

 _Why is he down here?_

 _ **How**_ _can he be down here?_

My hearts hammering in my chest and my stomach's rolling as I storm away from him. I can't look at him I can't. I've got to get away from here, away from him. He can't be here…he can't…

Something inside me is screaming at me to turn around, to walk back and take him in my arms. Stamping that little voice as far down as I can I push away from him, I can't forget what he did. I **won't** forget what he did. He abandoned me. I gave him a second chance after he lied to me, after he lied to us…I gave him a second chance. Just giving him that chance took everything that I had and more. That day when he didn't show up almost killed me.

Watching Mia pulling up filled me with such anticipation that I felt like I might pass out there and then. Knowing that there was a chance that he was there, knowing that there was a chance we could be back together was almost too much. As I stood there waiting I could feel every fibre of my being dancing on edge. I could feel my heart breaking into a million pieces when Mia stepped out of the car alone. That sad head shake and the pitiful smile destroyed me.

"Vince! Man where's the fire?" Letty's voice shocks me out of my head and brings me screaming back to reality. The confusion in my eyes clearly shows as she rolls her own before speaking again. "I said what's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Yeah man what's wrong?" Leon appears from somewhere on my left as I shake my head.

"I'm going. I need to leave." Moving quickly past them both I can only imagine the shocked the looks on both of their faces.

"What the hell? Vince what are you talking about?" She grabs hold of my arm and tugs me back but to her intense surprise I simply pull away from her and carry on walking. Ignoring their yelling I head on over to my car and shoot into the driver's seat as fast as I can. I make to pull away from the races before something within me suddenly snaps.

 _Why am I the one leaving?_

 _ **He's**_ _the one who walked away!_

 _Why the hell am I leaving?_

 _I've done nothing wrong here._

 _I gave him a second chance and he turned it down._

 _ **He's**_ _the one who walked away!_

It takes less than a second before I'm out of the car and moving back towards my ex. With a new determination lacing within me I move through the crowd with speed. He's the one who needs to explain himself, he's the one who made the choice. I gave him the choice and he turned it down.

"What the hell is going on?" Both confusion and anger are present in Letty's voice as she positions herself in front of me. There's something else lying in there though. Something that sounds almost like worry. Looking into her eyes there's clear concern mixed with a little bit of panic. A small bubble of guilt awakens within me but, quickly reminding myself that **he's** the one to blame, I shake it off.

"Brian's here." Those two words are all it takes for the confusion and concern to disappear. Anger takes my sister full force and judging by the growl from Leon it's taken over him as well.

"Where?" Gazing over the crowd it takes a little time before I'm able to pin point where the two are stood. Just in the distance I catch sight of Dom through the mess of people. Narrowing my eyes and steeling my wavering nerves I move as swiftly as I can.

The closer I get the more grateful I feel for the two people by my side. Honestly I don't think I could do this by myself. Something in me is still desperate to pull him back into my arms, to wrap him up and never let him go. That part of me however is quickly becoming eclipsed by the anger and hurt within me. There's so much I've been dying to say since I woke up in hospital. So many words have been rolling around my brain for two and a half years. So much pain, so much heart ache…

 _I deserve better than this_

 _I don't deserve to be abandoned_

 _I'm allowed to be angry at him_

 _He_ _ **left**_ _me_

 _He walked away and left me_

 _I deserve better_

Everything racing through my head, running round my brain, is storming to the front. Each word is desperate to be said but even now, even with all the anger floating through me, there's still one thought within my head that I just don't allow to be said.

 _I still love him_

"WHAT!?" His angry shouting takes me out of my head and forces me to focus on the two men in front of me. "How could she do this? How could she do this to us?"

 _What the hell is he talking about?_

"She never told you." Dom's furious statement serves only to confuse me further.

 _Who never told what?_

"You have to believe me I swear that I never spoke to her. I swear Dom." Neither has noticed us standing here and, despite my anger, I find myself grateful.

"I believe you." The blonde seems to sag in relief at my brother's statement. All of a sudden he raises his head and catches sight of me standing here. The pain in his eyes disappears to be replaced with sheer relief.

"Vince you have to listen to me. I never spoke to Mia. I never spoke to her…I didn't." My anger shifts to one side as his voice catches on the tail end of his sentence.

"What are you talking about?" His response is lost by a sound I've become more than familiar with over the course of my life.

"COPS!" Several voices yell out at once and all of a sudden the crowd around us goes crazy. As Leon pulls me away, back to the cars, I cast one last look at Brian. Dom leans down, saying something into his ear, before peeling away himself.

Pulling away from the crowd I feel something ignite within me, something that has been absent from my life for two and a half years, something that almost brings a smile to my face…

Hope.

* * *

 **And I think that's enough for today. So that's what's going on with poor Vince. Our poor man is heartbroken and angry but will he remain so when he finds out the truth? Well you'll have to keep reading if you want to find out.**


	6. Brian Chapter Six

**Massive thanks to those of you who've been supporting this story. I've had some really positive feedback and I'm really grateful for all of your support. Anyway on with the show!**

* * *

 **Brian Chapter Six**

 **By Rosa241**

"Dom, what's going on?" Honestly right now I'm so confused I don't even know what to think. What the hell is going on?

 _What does Mia have to do with this?_

 _Why is he asking about when I saw her?_

 _What's going on?_

"Brian this is important, are you sure about what you're saying?" Of course I'm sure! You have got to be kidding me!

"What the…yes! Dom of course I'm sure about it. I haven't talked to Mia since the day you left. Why? Why is that important!?" I'm aware that I'm practically shouting by now but I don't care. What the hell is going on?

"I can't believe she did this." Above the noise I can barely hear his whispered words. He's got a face like thunder now that I look at him, to be honest he looks like he's about ready to kill someone.

"Did what? What the hell are you talking about?" His eyes snap to me and for the first time since we bumped into each other he doesn't look like he wants to punch me. In fact he almost looks kind of relieved, if you ignore the murderous glint in his eyes that is, although something tells me that it's not directed at me.

"Mia. Mia never came to talk to you, she never told you. You didn't know." The more I look at him the more I realise just how shocked he really is. What does Mia have to do with me?

"Dom I don't get it. Why would Mia come to talk to me? After everything that happened…" I trail off not wanting to finish that sentence. Something inside me pulls at the thought. After everything that happened why would she come to talk to me? Why would they even want anything to do with me?

Shaking my head I try to force those thoughts out of my head. For the last two and a half years I've hated myself every single day for putting them through this. Deep down I know that I was only doing my job, that I did everything that I could to help them but…I can't help the guilt that's been racing through me.

"After Vince got out of hospital, after he came to join us he was miserable. We all were." _What?_ "Brian we were mad as hell at you, you were a cop! I thought that we bonded, that there was something there but all the time you were planning on turning us in."

I know.

I betrayed them.

I betrayed **all** of them.

 _You were just doing your job._

 _That doesn't make it okay._

"We tried to forget all about you but something kept coming back to me. Jesse." Quite what he was going to say I don't know but I didn't expect that. Just thinking about what happened to him makes my heart ache. He was just a kid. He had such an amazing future ahead of him, a family who loved him…he was so smart. His life was just cut out in a second.

"You could have arrested them, should have probably, but you didn't. You went after them and took them down. After Jesse went down you didn't hesitate to go after them. It wasn't because you wanted justice, not because you were a cop. I saw the look in your eyes. You went after them because of Jesse, because you cared."

My hope at the words turns to shock as he speaks.

"Cared!? Jesus Christ Dom of course I cared! Jesse was a kid! He was a good kid who made a mistake because he got scared. They killed him, they gunned him down and took his life! What did you expect me to do!?" The crowd around us is mostly silent now as they listen to the words I'm yelling. Just thinking about that day, knowing that it's my fault-

"Your job." Dom's voice breaks that dark train of thought. "I expected you to do your job. You didn't react like a cop who was tracking a suspect, you reacted like I would…like family would. I couldn't get that out of my head."

I want to speak, to scream at him to get to the point, to say his words so I can go after Vince but I say nothing. Something inside me is telling me to wait. Something deep inside me is screaming at me to let him talk.

"You didn't hesitate to avenge Jesse, you didn't hesitate to risk your life saving Vince and you didn't hesitate to let me go. Cops don't do those things for criminals. People don't do those things for strangers they hardly know. There's only one reason people do those kinds of things." Waiting with baited breath for him to say the words I can feel my heart beating wildly in my chest. "People do those things for family. If this was just a job to you, if we were just a bunch of criminals, then you wouldn't have done those things."

Looking at him now I can see just how tired he is. He looks exhausted. Exhausted from running no doubt. From constantly watching over his shoulder, from continually having to be on the move. Another pang of guilt flows through me but I stamp it down. This isn't the time to wallow. I can burn through the many, many layers of guilt later but right now I **need** to know.

"What does all that have to do with Mia?" My words come out harsher than I intended and for a minute I think he's going to turn and walk away. Thankfully he stays put, rubbing a hand over his tired eyes he continues.

"I waited six months before I contacted Mia. When I did, when I told her where we were going to be, when I brought her to us…I asked her to talk to you." _Wait what? Why?_ "We wanted you with us. Yeah we were mad at you but things weren't right with you here. I wanted her to bring you back to us."

My mind reels at his words. They wanted me with them? After everything that I've done to them they wanted me there. Dom, Letty, Leon…Vince…they wanted me to be with them. Stepping backwards a few feet I sag back against the nearest car as the weight of his words wash over me. This changes everything. I've spent two and a half years hating myself for everything I put them through. I've spent two and a half years believing that they hated me too. They didn't. They wanted me here. As amazing as this is there's still one thing I don't understand. Gazing up at the man, confusion no doubt written all over my face, one word escapes my shocked mouth.

"Why?" For a moment he says nothing before one gruff sentence changes everything.

"Because you're family."

At the words I barely manage to stop the tears falling from my eyes. Family. They want me with them. **All** of them. They consider me family. For the first time since we parted something inside me burns to life, for the first time something echoes inside my body and brings a spark to my heart. For the first time in two and a half years I feel hope. As I marvel over how that one sentence changes everything a thought crosses my mind.

"Wait! You said Mia was supposed to talk to me, Dom she never came!" Looking at him now the relief from earlier has gone completely only to be replaced with total bone crushing anger.

"She lied. When Mia joined us she told us that you said no, that you wanted nothing to do with us." _How could she do that to me?_

"WHAT!? How could she do this? How could she do this to us?" My words echo around me and a red mist descends down over me.

"She never told you." I've heard anger in Dom's voice before but this is something else. This is like nothing I've ever heard. The pure rage and venom laced in his words sends a shiver up my spine.

"You have to believe me I swear that I never spoke to her. I swear Dom." He nods his head at my words.

"I believe you." Relief washes over me as I stand from my resting place against the car. As I do a familiar figure catches my eye. Vince. His beautiful eyes are so full of anger and confusion that it breaks me to see it.

"Vince you have to listen to me. I never spoke to Mia. I never spoke to her…I didn't." I ignore the way that my voice catches on the end of my sentence and focus on his face.

"What are you talking about?" Before either myself or Dom can explain a shout falls over the crowd.

"COPS!" Before I can blink Leon has grabbed Vince and is dragging him away.

"Brian we got to go!" From somewhere to my left I hear Rome's voice calling to me but my eyes are glued on Vince's retreating form. As he drifts out of view a large hand pulls my shoulder and Dom's voice sounds out in my ear. The address his whispers is embedded on my brain and Rome finally succeeds in pulling me away.

As Rome tears the car out onto the street that spark inside me stays ignited.

 _I'm coming._

* * *

 **There we go! Brian knows what Mia did! Dom knows what Mia did! Now just for Vince to find out and boy oh boy I don't like Mia's odds when those three catch up with her. Stay tuned to find out how this goes.**


	7. Vince Chapter Seven

**Hello all! I hope you've all been well since my last update. Once again a massive thanks to all of those reading this and continuing to support! It is truly appreciated!**

* * *

 **Vince Chapter Seven**

 **By Rosa241**

I swear to god that drive over to the meeting point was just about the tensest moment of my life. Once the initial panic over the police showing up had faded away and I'd driven far enough to not worry about them finding me I forced myself to pull over. As much as I wanted to drive straight to Dom and find out exactly what was going on getting myself killed in the process wasn't part of the plan. Breathing deeply I clench my shaking fists as his words come back into my mind.

" _Vince you have to listen to me. I never spoke to Mia. I never spoke to her…I didn't."_

That sentence shattered everything in my mind. For the last two years I've believed that everything between us was all part of his plan that he was only with me because of being undercover. When Mia came back and told me that he didn't want to come I knew that my world would never be the same.

Thinking about it the whole thing seems ridiculous. We were only together for a few weeks. A few short weeks and somehow I managed to fall in love with an undercover cop who was using me. That relationship turned my world upside down. He blew away everything that I knew and switched my heart on. After growing up in the way that I had, with my family and my life, I stopped myself from getting close to people. Don't get me wrong Dom and the others are my family now but letting them in had been so hard. Trusting them and giving them the chance to hurt me was something that took so much. It took time, patience, effort…

Brian was different.

Something about Brian was different. Somehow he ended up being an exception. As much as I wanted to push him away he'd managed to crawl into my heart without me actually realising it. I fell in love with him in just a few short weeks before everything changed.

Finding out that I was right, finding out that he was in fact a cop didn't break me.

Being on the run and having to constantly watch over my shoulder didn't break me.

Watching my family going through so much, alright it made me angry as hell I'll admit, but it didn't break me.

When Mia arrived and told me he wasn't coming?

That shattered me.

But now…

" _Vince you have to listen to me. I never spoke to Mia. I never spoke to her…I didn't."_

Why would Brian lie?

Why would Mia lie?

What the hell is going on?

Shaking my head I finally unclench my fists and start the engine again. The shock I felt at Brian's words finally passes through me and anger takes its place.

- **FF** -

Pulling up to the empty building I can see the others are already here. Relief fills me as I finally get the proof that they're safe only for the anger to makes itself known again. Shoving the car door open I make my way into the run down building.

"Man we were worried for a minute there." Leon says as he pulls me into a brief hug. Pushing him away, probably more roughly than I'd intended, I ignore the flash of confusion that flits across his face and focus my attention on Dom.

"What the hell's going on?" A range of emotions pass through his eyes as I speak before finally settling on sheer rage.

"Good question. MIA!" His roar is without a doubt loud enough to wake the dead. At first no one moves but after a few seconds the sound of footsteps makes its way to the room. The three of us turn round just in time to see a furious Letty and a clearly nervous Mia enter the room.

"What the hell's going on?" I repeat my question to her and an air of tension settles across the room.

"What do you mean?" Confusion. Genuine confusion. Placing what I'm sure is supposed to be a comforting hand on my shoulder Dom steps forward.

"We bumped into an old friend at the race tonight. You want to guess who that was?" Her anxious eyes flicker between her brother and me before settling on the older man.

"Dom what are you talking about?" She jumps at the sounds that erupt around her as she speaks. Whether it's Leon's scoff, Letty's dark laugh or my own growl that shakes her I don't know.

"Brian was at the race. We had a conversation." Her eyes widen as she registers Dom's words and her nerves only increase.

"What did you do?" Leon questions as her eyes descend to the ground. Guilt. That's what that is. Guilt. "WHAT DID YOU DO?"

The shout surprises all of us but it's me who seems the most shocked. All heads spin to where the furious man is standing. Dom gives him a look at which Leon schools his expression and shakes his head.

"Why don't I tell you what she did or better yet what she didn't do." My brother takes a deep breath before speaking again. "You see when you first turned up here you told us that Brian didn't want anything to do with us. That everything between him and Vince was part of his cover that we needed to forget him and move on. But that wasn't true was it?"

Not true…

" _Vince you have to listen to me. I never spoke to Mia. I never spoke to her…I didn't."_

It wasn't true…

"You lied Mia. You never went to speak to Brian at all. All that stuff you came out with was total crap!" My heart starts pounding wildly in my chest as the implication of Dom and Brian's words finally hits me. I don't believe this. How could she do this?

The silence in the room is deafening and as she finally lifts her head the guilt is written all over her face. She doesn't need to confirm Dom's words, the fact that its true is there for everyone to see.

"Why?" The word is released with such venom that it shocks even me. For a moment she says nothing and the silence continues to echo around the room. She shifts her gaze to each of us before looking directly at me.

"I thought I was doing the right thing." Her whispered words do nothing to placate the fury within me. Dark laughter bubbles up from me before I can stop it. "He's a cop. Everything happened because of him. All the bad things that have happened were because of him! If I'd invited him here he would have brought the cops, they'd have arrested you all. I couldn't do that."

"He let Dom go, he saved me and he avenged Jesse. He didn't do that because he was a cop Mia, he did it because he wanted to. He did it for us." She rolls her eyes but the guilt doesn't leave them. Another growls is released as I continue. "We made a decision. We made a decision about Brian and you…you had no right to change that!"

"I was doing the right thing! How can you not see that? God! That man would have had all of us behind bars if he'd have had his way. No good would have come from having him here." What the hell is wrong with her?

"No good came from him not being here Mia! For crying out loud take a look at Vince and tell me that this is better. Tell me that him being miserable, that breaking his heart was worth it!" Her eyes descend to the floor again as guilt flares across her face at Letty's words. As an argument breaks out between them my mind is reeling from what I've heard.

 _He didn't say no._

 _It was real._

 _What if she'd spoken to him?_

 _What would he have said if she'd given him the chance?_

 _Would the last two years have been different somehow?_

"Two years." All eyes snap to me as the words leave me mouth. I looking directly at her as I speak. "Two years I've spent believing that it wasn't real, that everything was a lie. For two years I've believed that he didn't lo-" I break off, not able to finish that sentence. I never spoke the words to him I'm certainly not speaking them to her. Before anyone can speak again the sound of a car pulling up draws everyone's attention.

With my heart leaping into my throat and my stomach dropping I find myself moving outside. For a moment nothing happens as I watch the headlights fade. It almost feels like I've been frozen in place as he watches me from inside the car. Time seems to stop around me as he finally steps out of the car.

"Vince I…" He trails off but his words snap me out of my frozen state. Moving forward I can see how he tenses and my heart stutters at the sight. What does he think I'm going to do? Before my fear overtakes me I make my decision.

Reaching out I pull him towards me and press my lips against his. He hesitates for only a second before wrapping his arms around my neck and responding to the kiss. As I pull him towards me I can't help deepening our kiss. The world seems to right itself as I loose myself within him and for the first time in two and a half years everything seems to fall into place.

 _Finally._

* * *

 **Tada! So everyone knows now what Mia did, Brian and Vince are back together and all is right with the world.**

 **What's going to happen to Mia now?**

 **How will Brian respond when he confronts her?**

 **Something tells me that she's got a good butt kicking coming her way.**

 **Until next time,**

 **Bye x**


	8. Brian Chapter Eight

**Okay so I'm back! I apologise for the delay between updates but I've had a...shall we say a lazy period! Yes i think that describes me best right now. I hope this chapter makes up for the delay.**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

* * *

 **Brian Chapter Eight**

 **By Rosa241**

 **Brian POV:**

"Brian man what the hell's going on?" Rome's word hit me but I don't respond. Letting his question go unanswered my mind drifts back to Dom's words.

" _I wanted her to bring you back to us."_

I've spent all this time believing that they hated me, believing that I'd never see any of them again. All this time wasted. My mind is reeling at the revelations the night has brought.

What if she'd told me?

Would I have gone?

What am I saying?

Of course I would! I'd have been there in a heartbeat, wouldn't have even had to think twice about it.

What if I'd gone?

Then I'd be with him. Vince and I would be together instead of wasting these last two years. I wouldn't have spent all this time with this voice in my mind wondering whether or not he was alive. He wouldn't be thinking…Christ! God only knows what he's thinking right now.

The car jolts to a stop and snaps me out of my head.

"What are you doing?" My eyes drift to Rome whose shaking his head at me.

"What are **you** doing Brian!? How do you know they're not playing you? How do you know that this isn't some kind of trick to get you alone so that they can kick your ass!" His eyes are blazing with anger and concern.

"Because it's not!" I explode as I slam my fist down on the dash. "They wouldn't do that. Dom isn't like that. He wouldn't say those things just to trick me. If he wanted to kick my ass he'd have done it the moment he laid eyes on me. You don't know them."

"And neither do you! Brian that's my point. You were with them for a few weeks, what do you actually know about them? What do you know?" Rome's eyes are bulging slightly as he speaks and deep down I know that he has a point. Deep down I know that they have no reason to forgive me, they have no reason to want me back. A couple of years ago I'd have thought this through, a couple of years ago I wouldn't have just jumped in with both feet. Well a couple of years is a long time.

"I saw the look in Vince's eyes when I mentioned Mia. That meant something to him. Even if this does turn out to be some sort of trick, which I know it isn't, I don't care." He snorts in disbelief but says nothing at my words. "Vince has to know how I feel. He has to."

Trailing off we descend into silence. I know that this is crazy but I have to go. I have to see him, I have to explain. Even if he throws it back in my face, even if he turns me away I need to see him.

Ever since I turned up in the hospital to find him gone part of me wondered whether or not he was still alive. No one would talk to me about him since I wasn't a relative. I couldn't flash my badge since first I wasn't a cop anymore by that point and if he was alive I couldn't risk bringing the cops to his door. I **need** to see him. I have to make sure he's alright.

"I hope you're right Bri." Switching the engine back on we head on the rest of the way in silence.

- **FF** -

Pulling up to what looked like an abandoned shack I couldn't stop the pang of guilt flowing through me. This is the kind of place they've been staying? Shaking my head I force the thoughts from my mind and focus on the present. It's less than a second before the door flies open and five familiar figures poor out. Something inside me settles as my eyes drift over each of them in turn. Settling on Vince I can feel every part of me call out to him. Every part of me wants nothing more than to head straight into his arms and never leave.

Taking a deep breath I finally step out of the car.

"Vince I…" I want to say something, anything, but nothing comes. The words freeze in my throat and slip away. After what feels like a lifetime he takes a step forward and against my will my body freezes.

 _What if Rome's right?_

 _What if this is a trick?_

 _What if-_

Any doubts in my mind are put to rest as I'm pulled forward and his lips touch mine. My shock stops me for less than a second before I respond. Wrapping my arms around his neck I pull him in closer and sink further into the kiss. Two years' worth of emotion comes pouring out of me before I can stop it. After what feels like forever we finally part but his arms don't let me go. Hugging me tight I can feel my body relaxing into his, I can feel his heart beating wildly in his chest and I can feel everything falling into place. The moment is over far too soon however and he pulls away before I can stop him.

"Tell me this was real." His words are whispered so low that if I weren't stood so close I would have missed them.

"I swear you were real. Everything about you was real." The relief in his eyes is more than evident as he pulls me back into his arms. I'd happily stay this way forever. Just the two of us together wrapped up in each other's arms. The slamming of a door forces our embrace to end as we're brought back down into the real world. Turning to gaze at the others it becomes obvious what happened.

"Mia." Vince growls out and the relief and joy disappears from within me as my previous anger comes flooding back. Our eyes meet and in an instant we move towards the door.

"Mia get out here!" Dom calls as he storms in behind us. Not waiting for a response it's Letty who moves out of the room and calls again for the cause of my grief. A hand claps down on my shoulder and glancing to the side I'm met with a brief happy smile from Leon. Opening my mouth I make to speak but whatever I planned on saying is halted as the two women step back into the room.

"You've got a lot of explaining to do." I grind out as I take a step forward, Leon's hand falling away as I move. "What the hell Mia? How could you do this? Do you even realise how hard this has been?"

"Hard!? You think you've had it hard! For God's sake Brian get over yourself! You're not the one whose spent two years on the run, two years watching over your shoulder constantly, just waiting for someone to catch up to us. And why did we have to do that? What have we had to go through all of this huh? Because of you! You did this to us!"

"Did what? Saved Vince's life, let Dom go, ended my career to help you! And whilst we're talking about having it hard, how about spending two years not knowing whether someone you loved was alive or not! Christ Mia he could have been dead for all I know!" My voice rises yet again as the anger comes flowing out of me. I don't think I could stop it even if I wanted to.

"How about having to bury your little brother all by yourself because your entire family have vanished? How about having to explain to Jesse's dad what happened? How about that Brian?" At the mention of Jesse my heart clenches and the guilt pours back into my mind.

"Don't you dare!" Leons growled words bring a halt to my guilt and have all heads turning to him. "Don't you dare use Jesse to justify this! Don't you dare use what happened to him to explain away what you did!"

"Jesse's dead! He's dead and it's all down to him!" Her screeching words strike into me and I can't stop the thought that she's right. I've thought the same thing every single day since he died. Jumping slightly a warm hand comes to rest on my back. As my eyes meet Vince something within me snaps.

"If you think I haven't thought about Jesse every day since he died then you're wrong. He didn't deserve what happened to him. He was kid, he was a good kid, and he was murdered. What happened to Jesse tears me apart every single day." I can feel the tears prickling behind my eyes as the words come pouring out. Apparently sensing the heartache Vince steps forward.

"You don't get to use him as a way to explain what you did. You don't get to use his memory to try to defend yourself." In a second she flies out of the room but this time no one goes after her. Leaning back into Vince's embrace I can feel the rage radiating off of him and I'm fairly certain he can feel the same emanating from me.

But despite the anger and rage within me the feeling of Vince's arms around me cuts through all of that. For the first time in two years happiness has ignited within my heart and nothing is going to take that away now.

* * *

 **I hope you all enjoyed that i know I did.**

 **So Brian and Vince are together again! Yay! But will things be happily ever after for our favourite couple?**

 **Mia's been given what for and boy was that fun to write.**

 **Until next time,**

 **Bye x**


	9. Vince Chapter Nine

**Woohoo I'm back. Nice to see the support still going strong for this story and I shall repay you now with some lovely fluff!**

 **Just to let you know. I will be updating once every month at minimum. Obviously I'd love to update as often as I can but I am not able to write as often as I'd like. Life as a teacher is a busy one and I don't have the time that I used to have these days. I know once a month isn't very often but I simply don't have enough time.**

 **Hope you enjoy this.**

* * *

 **Vince Chapter Nine**

 **By Rosa241**

"Tell me this was real." The words are out of my mouth before I can stop myself. He looks me directly in the eye before speaking.

"I swear you were real. Everything about you was real." Relief floods through me as soon as the words hit my ears. It was real. We were real. Pulling him back into my arms I wrap him up as tight as I can. Holding him like this is everything I've dreamt of over these last two years. A door slamming breaks the peace that had fallen over our embrace.

"Mia." Taking his hand into mine we both move swiftly into the shack we've been calling home for the last few weeks. It's not the best place that we've stayed in since being on the run but it's not the worst either, not the worst by far.

"Mia get out here!" Dom's voice echoes across the shack as Letty heads out of the room. Out of the corner of my eye I see Leon and Brian share a brief smile before the object of our anguish steps into the room.

"You've got a lot of explaining to do. What the hell Mia?" The edge to his voice is as hard as I've ever heard. "How could you do this? Do you even realise how hard this has been?"

 _Too damn hard…_

"Hard!? You think you've had it hard! For God's sake Brian get over yourself!" The fact that she's even considering arguing about this strikes a venomous anger inside of me that I've never felt before. "You're not the one whose spent two years on the run, two years watching over your shoulder constantly, just waiting for someone to catch up to us. And why did we have to do that? Why have we had to go through all of this huh? Because of you! You did this to us!"

 _That's not fair._

She's knows that's not his fault. Brian didn't make us hijack those trucks that was entirely our choice. It took me a long time to make my peace with the fact that Brian wasn't responsible. The FBI were onto us, they had to have their suspicions in order to send Brian in the first place. Honestly if it hadn't have been Brian they'd have found someone else to send, someone else who wouldn't have gone so far to save my life, someone who wouldn't have avenged Jesse, someone who wouldn't have let Dom go.

"Did what? Saved Vince's life, let Dom go, ended my career to help you!" Pride flows through me as my boyfriend speaks up. "And whilst we're talking about having it hard, how about spending two years not knowing whether someone you loved was alive or not! Christ Mia he could have been dead for all I know!"

 _Someone he loved?_

 _Brian loves me?_

Shaking my head I force the revelation to the back of my mind and settle back onto the argument. Part of me wants to speak up but I know that Brian needs to have his say. Although I barely got started on Mia before he showed up I **did** get to yell a little. He needs this.

"How about having to bury your little brother all by yourself because your entire family have vanished?" As soon as she brings Jesse into the argument the room falls into a deathly silence. Rage echoes in my mind as guilt begins to grow on the blondes face. _How dare she?_ "How about having to explain to Jesse's dad what happened? How about that Brian?"

"Don't you dare!" Leons angry voice cuts off whatever it was I was about to yell and everyone spins to look at him. In all honesty it's probably a good thing he speaks up first, out of all of his he's probably the calmest right now. Although that's not saying much judging by the furious glare he's aiming Mia's way. "Don't you dare use Jesse to justify this! Don't you dare use what happened to him to explain away what you did!"

"Jesse's dead! He's dead and it's all down to him!" My fury at Mia for having the nerve to even think about blaming Brian is overtaken by the way that he tenses at her words. There's so much guilt flying across his face that for a moment I'm completely taken aback. Placing my hand across his back his eyes meet mine.

"If you think I haven't thought about Jesse every day since he died then you're wrong." Dom's eyes bore into Brian as he speaks the heartbreak at the reminder a surprise to no one. Letty's glare hasn't left Mia since they walked into the room and the more the younger girl speaks the darker that look gets. Leon's flits between the two before settling on Brian. "He didn't deserve what happened to him. He was kid, he was a good kid, and he was murdered. What happened to Jesse tears me apart every single day."

 _How dare she use Jesse?_

 _What the hell is wrong with her?_

Looking at Brian the emotions pouring out of him are so obvious that it shocks me. He's always been a private person, held together and held back, but to see him so open and full of pain wrenches my heart. Seeing this strikes something deep within me.

"You don't get to use him as a way to explain what you did. You don't get to use his memory to try to defend yourself." Her angry gaze's flickers towards each of us before realising that she's getting no support. Storming out of the room it's clear just how much hatred is in the room when no one goes after her. Dom has never let her storm out. No matter the argument he always went after her but to just let her go clearly shows how badly she's hurt him. As soon as she's out of the room Brian heaves a sigh before leaning back against me. Wrapping my arms around him we stand together for a few moments as everything finally begins to sink in.

He's here.

He's _finally_ here.

We're together.

After everything that we've been through we're back together.

Who would have thought that we'd be here?

"Um…I hate to interrupt…" A strange voice cuts through the silence and has everyone turning to face the door. It takes a moment before I'm able to place the man and recognise him from the race tonight. "Bri you feel like introducing me?"

"Guys this is Roman Pearce, we were real good friends growing up. Rome this is Dom, Letty, Leon and Vince." He nods to each of us in turn before turning his attention to me.

"So you're the one that my boy here wouldn't shut up about?" His words break the tension in the room and we all manage a small laugh. "I'm serious man you wouldn't believe the number of times I've had to listen to how perfect and wonderful you are."

Despite his protests the blush covering Brians face is enough to tell me that there's at least some truth to his words.

"Oh really? Well if that's the case-" Before I can finish the sentence Letty pipes up.

"Don't even try it V. I've lost count of the number of times you've gone on and on about your boyfriend here." Feeling my own face heat up at the revelation I wisely choose to remain silent.

For a moment things feel like they were before the shit hit the fan.

For a moment life feels normal.

For a moment we're not on the run, we're not hiding out, we're a family again.

Of course we need to talk, of course we need to deal with everything but just for a few minutes it feels nice to relax for the first time in so long.

- **FF** -

Its two hours later when we finally get to be alone together. As soon as Mia had left the room I wanted nothing more than to drag him off somewhere private but that wasn't right. That wouldn't have been fair. Standing in that room watching him laugh with Leon, joke with Roman and Letty I knew right there that this was the best thing to happen. It made me furious to think that we could have had this two years ago, to think that we could have been together all this time. Pushing the thought to the back of my mind I focus my attention on the blonde. Standing with him here leaning against the car just being together feels right. For a few moments it feels like no time has passed.

"You know I never would have believed this could happen. When I drove up to the race tonight I kept pushing you out of my mind but you wouldn't leave. All day you've been sitting there in the back of my mind and I couldn't do anything about it." His words force my attention back onto the present and I can't help smiling.

"Me too." A smile breaks out onto his lips as I speak and for a moment he simply stares at me. "What?"

Shaking his head he leans forward and attaches our lips together. I know we should be talking right now, we should be dealing with all the crap that's happened but right now nothing but his lips against mine feels right. For a few minutes we simply stay there losing ourselves in the feeling of each other's lips before eventually we part.

"I missed you so much." I finally breathe as we separate. "All this time wasted. We could have been together, we **should** have been together."

"Why?" His question brings me to a standstill and almost freezes my entire body. _What the hell?_

"What do you mean? Why what?" Shaking his head he takes a step backwards as he speaks.

"Why would you want me back? After everything that happened and everything I did…I lied to you Vince. I know how important trust is for you and I broke that." The words I want to say die on my lips and I stop for a moment.

 _Because I love you._

I want to say the words. I've thought them so many times these last years and wondered what would happen if I'd said them. Back then I wanted to say them but I never got the chance. Seeing him here, knowing that I've finally got a second chance, I'm not going to let this slip me by. This time I'm doing it right. Not saying those words has caused me nothing but complete regret. Well no more.

Placing my fingers under his chin I raise his eyes to meet mine before I speak.

"I wanted you here from the start. Yes I was furious when I found out that you were a cop and I'll admit that it took me a while to calm down. Every time I thought about all the stuff that happened though I kept trying to justify why you would put yourself at risk like that. Why would you do that? When you found out from Mia that we were going to hijack that truck you should have called the cops. You should have called the FBI and got them to arrest us but you didn't."

"I couldn't…the thought of seeing you behind bars…" He trails off but I know the end of that sentence, he doesn't have to finish it.

"Exactly! Brian it took me a while to realise it but in the end I couldn't escape it. You weren't thinking like a cop, you were only focused on protecting us." It takes a minute before I can fish the words out of my brain and force myself to finally say it. "I wanted you with us because I love you. I knew that two and a half years ago but I never said it and I have regretted that ever since. I love you."

For a minute there's no sound around us as the words sink into his brain and for the first time tonight I can see a weight lift off of his shoulders. For the first time tonight something akin to relief settles on his face. Happiness seems to bridge into his eyes as he speaks.

"I love you too." Pressing my lips to his we both sink into the kiss and I wrap him up as tight as I can. I am never letting him go again.

* * *

 **So much fluff! Mia's finally explained herself (although I use that term loosely) although don't worry there's still plenty of anger left to be directed at her and believe me she still has hell coming. Brian and Vince are finally together and both have said the words they never got the chance to say before. Yay!**

 **Until next time. Bye x**


	10. Brian Chapter Ten

**Before I start a belated (very belated) Merry Christmas and a very belated happy new year! I hope you all enjoyed the holidays. I managed to break my laptop and have only recently been able to afford a new one. Here we are things are finally going to start moving for our favourite couple. Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

* * *

 **Brian Chapter Ten:  
By Rosa241**

Waking up with Vince's arms wrapped around me isn't something I ever thought I'd be doing again. His body's so warm that I can't help snuggling further into his embrace. This was always my favourite thing about him, he's always so warm. Even when it was cold out he was completely warm, like he had a fire inside of him. The only thing that would make this better is if we weren't on some lumpy couch. As soon as I think it guilt fires up inside of me. They've been living like this, in complete hell, for all this time because of me. Footsteps entering the room force me to sit up and wrench the thoughts clean from my mind.

"Morning." Letty yawns as she collapses in the chair opposite us. Her words manage to wake up Rome who looks far too comfortable curled up in the final chair. Another wave of guilt flashes through me as I think about why he finds that comfortable.

"Morning." Vince mutters from beside me. Sitting up he shifts behind me and manages to make himself somewhat comfortable. Eventually we're joined by Dom, Leon and a somewhat reluctant Mia who hovers by the door. For a while nobody says anything as we all think over the events of the last twenty four hours. This doesn't seem real. This time yesterday I was with Rome thinking about a future without the love of my life. Now we're back together and I have no idea what that means for us. Eventually it's Leon who breaks the silence.

"So what happens now?" With his words the room all looks to Dom who shrugs his shoulders before he speaks.

"You with us?" It shouldn't surprise me. Last night he told me that they had been planning on asking me to join them all that time ago it shouldn't surprise me that he wants me here now. It does though. After everything that I've done they still want me. Feeling a warmth within me I nod my head.

"So that's it?" Oh crap I'd almost forgotten about Rome. "You just going to join them and forget all about our plans."

"Rome I'm sorry but you-" I don't get to finish my sentence before he interrupts me.

"No, no I get it you're in love with your boy over here but can't he just come back to Miami? Or wherever we decide to set up." The room seems to emit a collective sigh and out of the corner of my eye I see Letty roll hers.

"So we're just supposed to roll back into LA and ignore the fact that we're fugitives?" _Wait a minute…_

"We can't risk settling down anywhere with the cops still on our backs." Sharing a look with Rome I can tell that the same thought is running through his mind. We haven't told them.

"Actually you don't have to worry about the cops anymore." As soon as the words leave my lips the entire room springs into questions.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"What do you mean?"

"What did you do?"

"Alright! Alright! Just slow down here and let me explain." Taking a deep breath I take the plunge. "About a year ago I was down in Miami and I got caught up by the Feds."

"Wait hold up why were you in Miami?" Vince questioned as he manoeuvred himself so that he was facing me. Okay so I didn't really want to get into this part.

"Well after everything that went down with Tran and me letting Dom go I was fired. Figured that there was no point in sticking around so I upped and left, ended up in Miami." The room is strangely silent as I speak.

"They fired you?" Letty speaks almost as if it's the first time the thought has crossed her mind.

"Well yeah I mean after I let Dom go they didn't waste much time getting rid of me." _Well after they finished interrogating me that is._

"Wait if they knew that you let Dom go then how come you're not in prison?" Although it's Leon who asks the question I can tell that the thoughts on more than just his mind.

"They couldn't prove that I let Dom escape, I spun them some story and I know they didn't believe it but they couldn't prove I was lying. Dom escaped, there were no wittnesses and no CCTV on the bridge so…no evidence." Waiting to find that out was one of the worst moments of my life.

"What about Tran?" Dom's words have my mind flashing back to the day that Jesse died. I've gone over that day so many times and each time I still feel like I need to put it right.

"My shots were justified any officer would have done the same but…" I almost want to trail off and leave it there. Honestly as much as I expected to lose my job when I let Dom go it was still painful. Taking a deep breath I continue. "They couldn't prove that I let Dom go so they used what happened with Tran as a reason to fire me. Anyway I left and ended up in Miami. That's where I met Tej."

"Tej?"

"Oh he's a friend. A real good guy I met down there, he organised street races. Anyway this one night he calls me about a race he needs me at and I head down there. After it's over the whole thing gets raided by cops." I can see the others wincing as I speak.

"Let me guess you got caught." Leon sighs at my bad luck and I offer a smile in response.

"Yep. I got caught and it turns out these cops weren't just any other cops. Turns out they were working with the Feds who apparently had been looking for me. They offered me a deal. I helped them and they erased my record. As far as anyone would be able to tell I hadn't been fired I would have been clean." _Of course I got a little more than that._

"What was the job?" Just thinking about that man makes my blood boil and sends a shiver down my spine. There was just something evil about that man that made me think twice when I first saw him.

"Carter Verone." Seeing the blank faces, not like I'd expected anything else, I continue. "He was an Argentinian drug lord and the Feds wanted him in prison but they needed someone to go undercover to get the evidence they needed. So they turned to me."

"And let me guess either they weren't willing to risk one of their own or they needed someone with a particular skill set in mind." Doms words rang true and I couldn't help smiling.

"The latter. Not every officer was able to drive like me and that was what would grab Verone's attention, that's what was going to get me into his inner circle. Anyway I realised pretty quickly that they must have needed me really badly so I upped the deal a little." _Just a little tiny bit._

"Yeah you upped the deal alright." Rome scoffs at my wording and shakes his head. We've had this conversation before and he still thinks it was dumb for me to go so far with this.

"What do you mean you upped the deal?" Vince moves slightly closer as he speaks.

"Well since they needed me so badly I told them that I'd do it but only for a few extras. I told them that if they erased not only my records but all of yours then I'd do it." The room descends into an eerie silence again as my words sink in. Dom's face is a picture as he grasps what that means for him and for the first time since that nightmare of a day the guilt in my stomach lifts a little.

"Are you crazy!?" The explosion from the brunette at my side isn't entirely unexpected. "You realise what would've happened if they'd turned round and said no. You'd have gone to prison! Prison Brian! You know what happens to cops when they go inside right!?"

"But I didn't get arrested did I? It worked!" He shakes his head as he paces the room and I don't need to be a mind reader to know what he's thinking.

"Vince is right that was one hell of a risk Brian. What if they'd have arrested you? What if they'd turned round and said it wasn't worth it? Gone off and found someone else, what then Brian?" Honestly it surprises me that they're so worried. Why would they be so concerned about me getting arrested?

"Alright look. I know it was a risk but it was worth it. The Feds were way more interested in Verone than Dom anyway, as much as they wanted you Verone was high stakes. They _**needed**_ him behind bars. It took some time but Bilkins managed to convince his bosses it was worth it so they agreed."

"So what does that mean?" Leon questions as he leans forward. Of course he knows what that means but he needs the confirmation, he needs to hear the words before he accepts them. They all do.

"It means that you're records are clean and as far as the investigation goes it's over. No one's looking for you anymore." Every single face in that room has the same expression and it takes less than a second before I name it.

Relief.

Complete and total relief.

Once again the guilt in my stomach lessons.

"We're free?" Letty throws her arms around Dom as I nod and Vince's lips find mine just as quickly. I think we're going to be okay.

* * *

 **And I think we'll leave it there for now.**

 **Spoiler – the next chapter will contain the rest of Brian's exploits from Miami from Vince's point of view.**

 **I hope you enjoy!**


	11. Vince Chapter Eleven

**I'm back! Hope you have been enjoying this so far and thanks for sticking with me for this. I still have a few chapters left.**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

* * *

 **Vince Chapter Eleven:**

 **By Rosa241**

This time yesterday we were preparing to leave town again and head up somewhere new. It's only through complete chance that Dom heard about the race and decided that we all needed to feel like things were back to normal for a few hours. Just a few hours of racing, pretending that things were okay. How the hell did things change so quickly? Within a day of him making that decision everythings been turned upside down. Brian's back and we're free!? How!?

For the first time in months I can feel the relief and genuine happiness settle over the room. Looking over at Dom he looks too shocked to speak.

"Wait…that means we can go home." It's only as Leon says that word home that the tension that has been with my brother for all this time finally leaves. I can see the moment the news fully hits him and it's a sight I never thought I'd see. For the first time in so long we're free.

It takes a few moments for everyone to calm down enough for Brian to continue. Truth be told he looks like he'd rather not continue his tale which scares me just a little bit.

"So what happened after you got the deal?" He pulls back from my hug with a sigh. Clearly he really doesn't want to tell this tale. _What the hell happened in Miami?_

"Well I grabbed Rome and convinced him to help me. If this was going to work I needed a partner who could actually be useful. I sincerely doubt the agent they assigned me with had even the remotest clue of what he was doing." Rome sits forward as he takes up the story.

"After Brian convinced me to help him out I got the same deal he did. They must have really wanted this guy." _Wait, same deal?_ Clearly Dom has the same thoughts that I did since he speaks the words on my brain.

"What were you in for?" For a moment the other male looks like he's ready to start an argument before he sits back and speaks.

"Housed some stolen cars. Got caught." Dom, knowing he's got no room judge, simply nods his head and urges the two to continue.

"Anyway we managed to get into Verones circle and he hired us as drivers." Before he can continue Rome interrupts.

"Yeah no thanks to that ass Markham." There is clear venom in his voice and a raised eyebrow from Leon has Brian explaining.

"Markham was a customs agent. Verone had Rome and I get this package from a car that got confiscated. Markham thought we were running since he'd bugged the cars and came after us. Almost blew our damn cover. Moron." My heart leaps as he speaks. I'm not stupid. I know what would have happened if their cover had been blown. "Anyway we managed to figure out his plan. He was going to launder his money in Miami before taking off. Rome and I were going to make the drop. He managed to get a window for the drop…"

The way that he trails off has me worried.

"What happened?" He looks up at me as I place my hand on his arm.

"The psycho tortured a cop into giving them a window for the getaway." Both men shake their heads at the news. "Shouldn't have been surprised to hear he was going to have us killed. Not that the cops cared about that."

 _Killed? Hold up._

The look Brian gives his friend is so full of anger and hatred that for a moment he actually scares me. Rome glares back for a moment seemingly unaware of his mistake. The room goes deathly silent and I can feel everyone waiting for me to speak.

"Kill you?" Two words that strike fear into my heart. Two words that could have changed everything. _Did I nearly lose him?_ He heaves a sigh before sitting back and scrubbing a hand down his face. Not for the first time I note how tired he looks.

"Verone had another guy go with me and Rome when we were meant to make the drop. They were meant to kill both of us once we'd done the job." _I could have lost him. I actually could have lost him._

"How'd you find that out?" Letty's words sound so confused and torn. It's been no secret that she didn't agree with us getting Brian out here, she hated him for what happened.

"Monica. She was a customs agent already working under cover with Verone." Nodding her head the second sentence Rome said comes back to mind. _Not that the cops cared about that._

"Wait what did you mean 'the cops didn't care'? They knew?" Dom's eyes shoot between the pair of them for a moment with clear worry. It's hard for him. I'm not the only one who cares about Brian, he was like a little brother to him I know it.

"Yeah. Markham refused to call off the job though. Said it was the one and only chance to get Verone, he didn't care what happened to us. As long as we got Verone that's all he was interested in." As my eyes meet Doms I can tell that we've both reached the same thought. That man better pray we never come across him.

"Anyway the day of the drop comes and Rome and I are loaded up with the money and Verone's right hand men. We're waiting for the window but Whitworth, the cop that they tortured, called in for an arrest of the drivers of the cars. Us." _How the hell does one person get so unlucky? I swear the worlds against you Brian._ "We managed to lose them thanks to Tej."

"Sounds like we owe Tej a lot." The tension is back in Dom's body as he speaks. I can tell how hard this is for him, knowing how much Brian risked to get our freedom.

" **I** owe him a lot. If he hadn't organised that scramble." Seeing a confused look from Letty he explains with a smile. "He organised a bunch of racers to be in this warehouse, had a feeling that we might need to lose the cops at some point, and the minute we drove in every one of them drove out. It confused the hell out of the cops long enough for us to get rid of them."

 _This Tej sounds like a hell of a guy. It sounds like I owe him more than a little for everything that he did for Brian. I don't even know if he'd be here right now if it weren't for him. Would the cops have busted Brian out if he'd been caught? I doubt it. If they didn't care whether they lived or died I doubt they'd give a crap if he was arrested._

"Brian and I switched cars from Verone's cars to two of our own. Damn good job we won those cars." He nods at Brian who smirks. Obviously another part of his plan.

"Yeah. Tej made a couple of improvements." _Again it looks like I owe Tej a lot._ "We were headed for the airfield but Enrique, Verones man, told me to head to the Marina instead. The customs agents get to the airport to capture Verone heading off on his private jet but he wasn't there. Turns out he knew that Monica was undercover and deliberately gave her the wrong information."

"Meanwhile I use Tej's improvements to get rid of that ass he stuck me with. Ejector seat man! Tej is a genius." _Ejector seat? Maybe that guy is a genius._ "Of course Brian has the worst luck in the world and his failed leaving him at the mercy of Enrique's gun."

My heart jumps into my mouth and I can feel panic beginning to settle in before something stops me. Brian's here. He's okay. Obviously this turns out well in the end.

"Thank god you showed up. Guy had a damn gun." Nodding my thanks to Rome who responds with a nod of his own I place a hand over Brians. I don't have to speak but he gets the message and squeezes my fingers in return. _Thank god indeed._ "Anyway while all this is going on Verone is getting away on his boat. So I came up with a plan."

I **really** don't like the sheepish look he gives me when he says this and I **absolutely** don't like the glare Rome gives him in return.

"It was a stupid ass plan, I still ain't forgiven you!" His face is deadly serious. _What did you do Brian?_

"Well it worked!" The blonde protests in response.

"What plan?" Brian winces as Dom speaks and for a moment I can tell he's considering whether or not to tell the truth. Evidentially he realises that he has no other choice, we'd find out the truth either way, and he starts to speak.

"Well…I might have driven the car off of the dock and onto the boat." The words take a second to sink in before anyone reacts. As soon as they do…

"Are you crazy!?" Letty stands from Dom's side and slaps Brian across the arm as hard as she can.

"You could have been killed!" He winces at my words and tries to protest that he's fine.

"Only you Brian." _Shut up Leon._

"You really went to bat for us." It's Dom's words that stop the room. _It's true. He really went all out to clear our names._ "You didn't owe us anything. You were doing your job. **We're** the ones who broke the law and if it hadn't have been you it would have been someone else. Except someone else wouldn't have avenged Jessie and someone else wouldn't have let me go. You didn't owe us anything."

Something in Brian seems to release at my brothers words and I can tell that a weight has just been lifted off of his chest. How much guilt has he been carrying around with him that he would so easily risk his life for us? _Oh we need to have a serious conversation about this._

"Okay so it might have been a bit reckless." He ignores Rome's huff at his words and continues. "But it worked. We stopped Verone, saved Monica and cleared our names. Not a bad days work if you ask me."

For a moment we say nothing as Brian leans into my side. He sighs happily as he places his head over my chest, listening to my heartbeat. That had always been his favourite position, he never explained why but I know it relaxes him. Wrapping both arms around him I kiss the top of his head before hugging him tighter. I could have lost him so easily and wouldn't have even known it. This thought scares me more than anything else I've heard.

"So what do we do now?" For the first time in a while Mia speaks up, having kept to one side of the room during Brian's tale. She's still family but it will be a long while before any of us can forgive her for this.

"We go home." A happiness descends over the room that I haven't felt in so long.

 _Home._

 _We're going home._

* * *

 **And there we are. Brian's tale is finished and everyone's going home. Yay! Sorry if I've messed up any points of the events of 2 Fast 2 Furious. I've been intending to re-watch the film before hand but I simply haven't had time to do so. I finally found a couple of hours in my hectic schedule and didn't have time to watch the film and write this chapter. Don't know when I'll get chance to write again for a while (GCSE exam time is slowly creeping up so work is chaos right now) so I thought it best to get this written. I don't think I've made any glaring mistakes but please feel free to let me know. I think I covered the most important parts.**

 **Until next time,**

 **Bye x**


	12. Brian Chapter Twelve

**And I'm back! Massive thank you for the response to the last chapter. I didn't expect that. I hope you like this one just as much.**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

* * *

 **Brian Chapter Twelve**

 **By Rosa241**

I've spent a lot of time sitting in cars over the last few years but this is probably the best time of them all. Things have changed so much in just two days. I never imagined that we'd be here. Me and Vince. Together. I really thought that things were done with us but here we are. It's so crazy.

After realising that they, we, could go home no one had wanted to stick around for any length of time. Watching them race around to grab their things so that they could go home. It was like watching excited children getting ready to go on vacation. Honestly I didn't realise just how much I missed that place until right then. I'd only spent a few weeks at the house but I really felt at home there. Way more at home than anywhere else in my life. Not surprising though they're family after all.

Even thinking that seems to so strange.

Family.

I'm not even sure that I know how to be apart of a family. I'll learn though. I'll figure it out. If I know one thing for certain it's that I'm never letting this go. For two and a half years I never thought that I'd have this. Now that it's back I'm keeping it.

"Hey." Vince's voice pulls me from my thoughts and I can't help grinning when I look over to him. "Where'd you go?"

"Just thinking." Leaning back against the seat I look out the window. We've only been on the road for an hour so we've still got a way to go before we get back home.

"Oh yeah? About what?" _I'm never letting you go._

"How the hell did this all happen in two days?" He shakes his head at that before grabbing my hand in his and squeezing. We've got a lot to talk about I know we have but that can wait. After two and a half years we were finally back together. Right now I just want to be with him everything else can wait. We've got the rest of our lives to have that out so for now I just want to enjoy this.

We fall back into the comfortable silence that had descended over us a while ago. Letting my mind wander I think back to yesterday.

 _Flashback:_

" _We'll head off in the morning." Although I'm sure everyone wants to protest that they should leave now no one does. They've waited this long. They can wait one more day._

" _What happened to the garage after everything went down." I'd wanted to go back but I just couldn't. It was too much._

" _Mia found a couple of guys to take over in my absence." I guess that's why Mia stayed behind for so long. She found someone to run the garage for Dom until he could get back. "We owe them a lot."_

 _I can't begin to think of how hard it must have been for him to just leave the place. DT's was his. It was his home and he had to just abandon it. For a moment I feel the familiar guilt swarm in me but this time, for the first time in so long, I push it away. They're going home now. I've put it right._

 _Dom heads out of the room and follows the short corridor that Mia had gone down earlier. Part of me wants to go with him, part of me wants to confront her again but I don't. Right now I'm finally calm. We can deal with what she did later right now I just want to stay with Vince._

" _So what's the deal with you two?" Leon gestures between Rome, whose fallen asleep again, and me as he leans back in his chair._

" _We were best friends growing up. Really close." It's just a shame we lost all that time. "After my mom died I went to stay with him and his mom for a while but…then Rome got caught and ended up in juvie. I decided to become a cop and when he got out we drifted apart."_

 _Okay so maybe that's the short version of events._

" _You drifted apart but he was the first person you thought of when the FBI showed up." Letty says as she re-enters the room. She was always wary of me before I guess something changed her mind._

" _Well the first people I thought were…you know." Gesturing round the room Leon manages a sad smile whilst Vince squeezes my shoulder as he pulls me closer. "Then I thought about Rome and realised that if he could get the same deal he'd be willing to help out."_

" _How'd you know where to find him?" Vince questions as he runs his hand down my arm. I'd learned very quickly when we first got together that a lot of his displays of affection were done without thinking._

" _I kept a few tabs on him after he got out. Perks of being a cop I guess." As much as I hate that we missed all those years I guess in the end it all worked out. If he'd stuck around who knows what might have happened._

 _As we descend into more conversation I can't help marvelling over how easy this is._

 _End Flashback_

We'd finally headed out this morning to everyone's eternal relief. At least once we'd dealt with the car situation. There was no choice about me and Vince riding back together. No way was I letting him out of my sight again any time soon. Dom and Letty were clearly going together which left us with a Mia problem. Ordinarily she'd have road with Vince in the Maxima but that wasn't a choice. He was too angry right now for them to be too close to each other. There was no way she was getting into Dom's car either. She may be his sister but Vince was his brother. They'd been through hell together and she'd hurt him. Riding with Leon wouldn't have been a good choice either since he was so angry and for a brief moment I actually thought they might just leave her there. For a brief moment I think she thought that too. Thankfully Rome stepped up and said that she could ride with him. Honestly it's probably for the best, I think everyone needs some space and time.

"So you're moving in right? I mean officially." His words shock me and it takes a moment before they fully sink in. The smile on my face isn't going away any time soon as I realise what this means. Watching him you could be mistaken for thinking he's not too interested in the answer but I know him better. Judging from his grip on the steering wheel and the nervous tapping of his fingers it means a hell of a lot.

"Well I mean I hadn't really thought about it." His brow furrows and my grin grows. _He really wants this._

"So think about it now." I really don't have to. If there's one thing I'm certain about in my life it's that I'm going to be with him no matter what.

"I don't have to." The soft, albeit relieved, smile he gives me in return is enough to make my heart explode. He takes my hand again and brings it to his lips.

"I'm never letting you go again." The murmured words are more than enough for me.

The rest of the journey passes in simple conversation mixed with comfortable silences. As we draw closer and closer to home his excitement grows as does my own. After what feels like forever we finally draw up to the house and I can feel the relief flowing from him.

 _We're home._

Dom and Letty are already here but have yet to go inside. Clearly they're waiting for everyone to arrive first. Vince is barely out of the car before he's embraced by the older male in a tight hug. I don't catch whatever whispered words are shared between them but I know how much this means to them both. They've been together for a long time and have been through hell. They're brothers in every sense of the word. Before long we're joined by Leon who embraces everyone whilst bouncing up and down like a kid at Christmas. Rome and Mia bring up the rear a good twenty minutes later than everyone else.

"Sorry. I got lost." That manages to earn a chuckle from everyone and breaks the tension that Mia's arrival had caused. At my questioning glance he shrugs. "Don't look at me like that. I ain't never been here before."

 _Only Rome._

Finally Dom pulls out the keys that have no doubt been burning a hole in his pocket and opens the front door. As we walk through the door everything looks the same as it did before. In fact it looks better. Despite the thick layer of dust it looks better than ever.

 _Home._

* * *

 **And that's it for now. I know the chapters aren't very long and I was going to make this longer but I really wanted to focus on them arriving home. The next one will be longer I swear.**

 **Until next time,**

 **Bye x**


	13. Vince Chapter Thirteen

**And I'm back! I hope you've all had a good summer, I know I did, and I am already looking forward to Christmas. Woo! Anyway on with the show…err…story!**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

* * *

 **Vince Chapter Thirteen**

 **By Rosa241**

Waking up in my room with Brian wrapped in my arms is not something I thought would ever happen again. It had happened a few times before everything went down but once we left I thought that was it. As far as I was concerned we were never going to be here again. Honestly it still doesn't feel real. It still feels like this is some kind of dream and that I'm going to wake up any minute now. Sipping the coffee in front of me I shake my head and sigh at the comfortable silence surrounding me.

I've always been the earliest riser of the group. Strange I know but it's true. Pretty sure its got something to do with the number of times I was woken up by my drunk of an old man crashing through the front door at all hours. Even after I moved in here I was still an early riser, some things don't go away so easily. From what I've learnt of Brian his sleeping pattern was all over the place. Probably something to do with being a cop I guess. Reminds me of Jesse in a way…

"Not now." I grumble to myself as I take another sip from the mug. I can't think about Jesse right now. Later we'll deal with it but not right now.

Leon's usually the last one up although that's probably more to do with the fact that he's almost always the last to go to sleep. The guys a night owl. He's effectively useless until long after midday has finally passed. Letty on the other hand is usually the first to climb into the sheets. If that woman doesn't get a good nights sleep then we'll **all** be hearing about it. As much as people complain about my temper that woman is just as bad, even worse when she's tired. It's for that reason that there's very little noise in the house until long after she's awake. Dom often follows me. After I'm up I can guarantee that he'll follow me within ten minutes or so. Now he swears blind that he doesn't wait until he hears me move but I'm not convinced.

 _Any minute now…_

Looking round the room it almost feels like we've never been away.

Almost.

After the glee of getting home had passed we'd finally taken a good look around the place. Thankfully the place had kept pretty well considering it had been empty for two years. Of course that didn't mean we were without problems.

Leon had almost face planted the floor after tripping over the mountain of unopened mail that lay in the hall. Most of it had been crap and Dom had spent most of the previous afternoon dredging through everything having spent the first day on the phone trying to get things back into working order. Ninety percent of the mail had gone straight in the bin whilst anything that had been useful was organised into several piles on the long disused dining room table. It would probably take another day before he'd get through everything. Thankfully the dust had been easy enough to get rid of with some polish and a little elbow grease. Letty and Leon had taken the first floor, having started on the kitchen and worked their way through to the back door. Brian and I had taken the basement (aka my room) and, although it had taken far too long, we'd finally managed to get things into working order. Mia had ended up taking the bedrooms with Rome who had been coerced into helping out by Brian.

Two days later and we'd finally managed to get the house looking like it had before we'd left. Of course the smell…

The smell was going to take some time.

The house smelled stale and damp after two years of not being used. Despite having left the windows open and doors open pretty much since we got back it was still lingering about.

Things almost felt like they were back to normal.

Almost.

Truth was there was definitely something missing.

There was some _one_ missing and that wasn't going to change at any point.

"Morning." Dom's voice brings me out of my thoughts.

"Morning." For a few minutes we say nothing as Dom inhales his first cup of coffee before grabbing a second. It takes a while before he's ready to function in the morning and two cups of coffee are usually enough to get him human again.

"We still heading out?" Nodding my head is about all I can do since I don't quite trust myself to speak. "The others?"

"Brians coming, Letty and Leon are a given. I don't know about Mia though." Not that I'd spoken to her. No way was I going to be able to do that for a long time. Not after everything that she'd done.

"Mia's coming too so long as you're okay with it." As much as I detest her presence I can't deny her this and I won't. She has a right to be there.

"No. It'll be fine." Getting my meaning he nods his head and we descend back into silence.

It had been Letty who had finally mentioned the elephant in the room last night. In the two days we'd been home we'd all avoided discussing our missing brother.

 _Flashback:_

 _The room descended into silence as Letty's voice trailed off. I can't say I haven't thought about it before. Hell for two years I'd have killed to go there, to pay my respects in the right way. Now though…now it was a possibility the thought filled me with such pain that it was almost unbearable._

" _You're right." Dom said after a beat of silence. "We need to see him."_

" _First thing tomorrow we'll head out and see him." Following the decision Brian had excused himself and headed outside. As much as I wanted to go after him I could tell from the way he looked at me that he needed to be by himself. I'm not stupid. I know he feels guilty about what happened to Jesse. He didn't need to we all knew that, except for Mia of course, but I'm not sure he'll ever accept that._

 _End Flashback_

As soon as we were all ready we'd be heading down to the cemetery to say a real goodbye to our brother. We'd had our own ceremony on the road but it wasn't the same. All of us needed to see him, we needed to do this together as a family. He would have wanted us to be there together. No matter what I think of Mia right now I won't, and can't, deny her the chance to be with us to say goodbye. Of course she's already had this chance but that was before. That was when she was alone.

We need to say goodbye as a family.

"I'm going to head up and shower." The tension that had lifted from Dom's face over the last few days is back full force. Truth be told I'm pretty sure it hadn't truly gone anywhere. He may have looked calmer but I know my brother. He won't settle until he's gone there. Dom won't be able to let himself relax until he's stood over Jesse's grave and said his goodbyes.

None of us will.

Looking around at the state of us it's nearly enough to make me smile. None of us are wearing anything like the kind of attire you'd associate with a funeral. Letty had insisted on wearing the garish orange shirt Jesse had once said made her look like a traffic cone. Suits, ties, black…that wasn't Jesse and it isn't us. Showing up here in a monkey suit wouldn't have sat well with any of us. Hell I'm sure he would have risen from the grave just to tell us how ridiculous we all looked.

Shaking my head I force my thoughts back on the scene in front of me.

 _Now is not the time Vince._

"This should never have happened. Jesse shouldn't be dead." I can feel Brian tense at his words and I take his hand. The tension doesn't leave but he manages to squeeze my fingers in response. _It's not your fault._ "Jesse was most at home when he was in the garage covered in more grease and oil that I'm sure was possible."

"He always managed to make a mess no matter what." A smile graces the lips of the group at Leon's words. It's true. I've never met anyone who was as messy as he is.

 _Was._

 _As good as he was._

"He was a good kid, always knew how to make people laugh and never failed to make people smile. Jesse lived with a passion that most people didn't even know existed. He was excitable and loved life. He once told me…" Dom trails off, clearing his throat before continuing as if nothing was wrong. "He once told me that the way he saw it there were two ways to life your life. Either you lived as if every day was a gift and made the most of it or you didn't. I know which way he lived."

 _He'd hate this._

 _He'd hate us all standing here talking about him like this._

 _Sorry Jess but we need to do this._

"Jesse was the kindest, smartest and most amazing of us all. We'll miss you brother." No more is said than that and for a while we stand there looking at the stone in front of us. It may have been over two years since his death but right now I think it's hitting me for the first time.

In loving memory of Jesse Lindberg

1982 – 2001

Forever loved

The stone had been entirely down to Mia and I had to give her credit. It was simple but beautiful and it suited Jesse down to a tee. It was perfect.

One by one the others made their way back to the cars. Mia drifted off first which was unsurprising since she'd already done this once and no doubt had already said everything she needed to the first time. Letty sniffed twice, a clear indication she was soon for tears, before heading off in the opposite direction of the cars. She'd always hated crying in front of anyone. Right now she needed to be on her own for a moment. Leon had been next.

"I'll take Mia home." He'd said nothing more before making his way off. It was harder for him in a lot of way. Jesse had been the one to introduce Leon to the group back when Dom was inside. They'd been friends before anyone else had come along.

"I'll wait in the car." Brians voice surprised me and had me jumping slightly. He'd been so quiet since we'd left the house I'd almost forgotten that he was here. There was something about the way that he looked that tore into me. He'd tried to hide the guilt lying on his face but he couldn't.

 _As soon as I've talked some sense into Dom you and I need to talk._

As much as I wanted to wrap Brian up and never let go until that look was gone Dom needed me right now. Right now in this moment my brother needed me more. Just a little. Moving round to the other side of the grave that shouldn't exist I placed a hand on my brothers shoulder. For a moment neither of us spoke before eventually I broke the silence.

"This wasn't your fault." As he made to speak I raise a hand to silence him. I don't often do this so when I do he listens. "The only people at fault are the ones who killed him and Jesse."

"Hey-" He makes to speak, no doubt to defend our fallen brother but I don't let him. He's refused to hear this for two years but he'll hear it now.

"No Dom. Jesse was stupid to bet his car against Tran, he understood cars better than any of us and he had to know that there was no way that he'd be able to win. He made a mistake when he bet his car and he made an even bigger mistake when he took off. None of this is down to you." For a moment he says nothing before giving me an angry glare and stalking off after Letty.

 _One down._

"I'll miss you kid." Running my hand over the gravestone I turn and head back to the car. The walk back feels different and I almost feel lighter somehow. It's as if a weight I wasn't sure existed was lifted from my chest. I hadn't realised how much needing to say goodbye had played on me. Feeling the first spots of rain I quickly slide into the car before the heavens open and the rain begins to pour down.

"Well that just about sums up the day." Brian makes no response to my words.

 _Well now that Dom's done…_

"Talk to me baby." The watery eyes that pierce into me as he turns his head my way almost break my heart.

"This is all my fault." With that the damn is broken and the tears he's been holding back for who knows how long finally break free. Pulling him forward I gather him in my arms as he buries his head into my chest. I can feel the wet pooling into my shirt but nothing in the world could make me let him go. He's been keeping this in for far too long he needs to let it out.

 _If he'd been with me before it would never have gotten to this point. We'd have dealt with this by now._

As a familiar pang of anger flows through me I force myself to push it to one side. I can deal with Mia later right now Brian has to be my priority. He's been alone for so long I won't let him be any longer. Sure he's had Rome but Rome isn't us. As much as having his old friend along has helped the guy wasn't here for what happened. He can't help Brian like we can. It takes what feels like forever for him to finally calm down enough. Once he does he attempts to pull away but I simply hold him tighter.

 _You're not getting out of this._

"Sorry. I shouldn't have done that." The words are mumbled and it worries me more than I'll let on that he genuinely thinks that.

 _What happened in his life to make him feel like grieving is wrong?_

"You're allowed to grieve Brian. Jesse was your friend too." He settles in my arms and makes no move to break free from my hold having apparently accepted that leaving wasn't an option. I've no doubt that he's ignored this for two years. No longer. "Talk to me baby."

"He did it because of me." _Oh baby._ "He put up his car because that's what I did against Dom. I think he was trying to impress me."

Jesse was instantly drawn to Brian from day one so it wouldn't surprise me if that were true. That, however, doesn't make it his fault. Knowing that telling him that wouldn't make a difference I try a different tactic.

"Did you try to stop him?" Again he makes to pull away but I tighten my grip and squeeze him firmly, gently but firmly. _You're not getting away._ "Did you try to stop him?"

"Of course I did. Jesus Vince I tried to talk him out of it but he didn't listen!" His explosion from my arms isn't unexpected in fact its what I wanted. "He had no intentions of listening to me. Short of locking him up somewhere I don't think anything I said would have made a difference."

"So how is this your fault?" This time when he tries to pull away I let him. The look he gives me is torn. Torn between anger and something that looks like relief.

"What?" The small voice rips into me.

"You tried to stop him from racing but he didn't listen. I _know_ you didn't tell him to take off after the race and you tried to save his life. So tell me again how this is your fault?"

"Well I…you…I mean he…"

As he trails off, trying desperately to think of a way that he can blame this on himself, I almost pat myself on the back. This may not be the time or the place but I won't leave this any longer. Brian needs looking after, he deserves looking after and by god that's what I'm going to do.

* * *

 **Tada!**

 **Okay so I'm not overly happy about this but I think it's as good as its going to get. Vince is often portrayed in many fanfictions as being this stupid bully and it annoys me. I see him as an over protective bear who's going to do anything to take care of those he loves.**

 **Hopefully I'll be back before long with another update.**

 **Until then,**

 **Bye x**


	14. Brian Chapter Fourteen

**And I'm back! Tada! I didn't keep you waiting for months instead I actually got off my ass and wrote something. Yay!**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

* * *

 **Brian Chapter Fourteen**

 **By Rosa241**

In loving memory of Jesse Lindberg

1982 – 2001

Forever loved

It's not the first time that I've seen those words but every time it hits me like a freight train. He shouldn't be lying there in the cold ground. He should be here with us. Everything happened so fast after pulling Vince off of that truck that it wasn't until it was over, until long after Dom had disappeared, that I really had any time to stop and think about Jesse. The moment I did everything had just come to me so suddenly.

Jesse was dead.

He was dead and it was all my fault.

Standing here at his grave the first time around was when it fully hit me. I remember breaking down here in the dead of night all alone. Watching them all standing there the guilt hits me harder than ever. Letty stalks off in the opposite direction to everyone else, from the look on her face I'd wager that she was soon for tears. She doesn't strike me as the kind of person that easily cries.

 _She shouldn't be crying._

"I'll take Mia home." Leon's words have my eyes drifting to him. Before he turns around and heads over to the car I catch sight of his face. The sadness in his eyes was enough to tear a man apart. Loosing Jesse really is killing him.

 _And it's all your fault._

The voice in my head that's been screaming at me ever since that day is getting louder than ever. Unable to stand being here anymore I quickly make my way back to the car. Sitting there I attempt to force the guilt away, like I have done so many times, but this time it won't disappear. This time the guilt is here to stay. Quite how long I sit here alone trying my best not to break down I don't know but by the time Vince finally joins me rain has started pattering down onto the car breaking the silence that had descended over me.

"Well that just about sums up the day." His words are meant to make me smile I can tell but I make no sign of having heard him. I can't talk to him right now. I can't…

"Talk to me baby." For a moment I struggle to get the words out but the moment I do something happens that I've been trying to avoid for so long.

"This is all my fault." As soon as the words are out the tears start pouring from my eyes. With anyone else I'd be embarrassed but right now I couldn't care less. He pulls me into his chest and I find myself clinging onto him for support whilst sobbing into his shirt. Tears pour out faster and faster until I think I'm going to keel over from the pain in my chest.

 _It's not fair._

 _All of this is so unfair._

 _Why did this have to happen?_

After what feels like forever I finally begin to pull myself together and find my panic beginning to calm. I attempt to pull away but Vince doesn't let me.

"Sorry. I shouldn't have done that." I manage to mumble the apology despite the crushing hug he has me in.

"You're allowed to grieve Brian. Jesse was your friend too." Finally accepting that I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, something that deep down I'm grateful for, I settle in his arms. "Talk to me baby."

 _How?_

 _How do you tell someone that they lost a brother because of you?_

 _How do you tell someone that?_

Having kept it to myself for so long it proves harder than I would imagine to get the words out. Once I do however a weight lifts off my chest and for the first time in months I feel like I can breathe.

"He did it because of me. He put up his car because that's what I did against Dom. I think he was trying to impress me." I thought I'd feel worse for talking about it but something inside me lightens when I speak my words.

"Did you try to stop him?" Attempting to pull away so that I can glare at him does nothing so instead I settle for glaring into his shirt _._ "Did you try to stop him?"

"Of course I did. Jesus Vince I tried to talk him out of it but he didn't listen! He had no intentions of listening to me. Short of locking him up somewhere I don't think anything I said would have made a difference." Does he actually think that I just let him go? Of course I didn't. I tried to stop him. I tried but he didn't listen, I wish to god he had but he just didn't.

"So how is this your fault?" This time he lets me pull away and I stare at him in shock. Did he just…?

"What?" I finally find my voice after a moment of silence.

"You tried to stop him from racing but he didn't listen. I _know_ you didn't tell him to take off after the race and you tried to save his life. So tell me again how this is your fault?"

 _How is this your fault?_

 _He raced because of me._

 _You tried to stop him._

 _I should have tried harder._

 _He wouldn't have listened._

"Well I…you…I mean he…" Shock is reigning through me as I think about his words on the drive back home. As I settle on the couch, accepting the bottle I'm handed, I couldn't care less about the fact that it's obvious I've been crying or the tear tracks still on my face. Instead there's only one thing going through me mind.

Maybe this isn't my fault.

Maybe…

 _You tried to stop him from racing but he didn't listen._

That's true. I tried to stop him from doing it, I knew he couldn't win and he had to know. Jesse knew cars better than anyone but he still did it. There was no way that he could have won I told him that but he still raced.

 _I know you didn't tell him to take off after the race._

Damn right I didn't. That was a fools move. He knew the kind of person Tran was. There's no way in hell he was ever going to let Jesse just disappear without revenge. Once Jesse took off he sealed his own fate. There's nothing I could have done once he tore away from that race.

 _You tried to save his life._

That's the whole reason I went back to the house first. That house is the place where Jessie felt safe and I know that if he would have gone anywhere it would have been there. Either that or the garage. When he turned up I felt so much relief. We could protect him, keep him safe but then they were there and it was over.

 _So tell me again how this is your fault?_

Despite my best attempts I find it almost impossible to think up why. All my arguments keep getting batted off with Vince's words. Every time I think up a new reason as to why his death is on my hands Vince's voice comes back into my mind.

 _So tell me again how this is your fault?_

Maybe it's not.

Maybe…

* * *

 **Okay so a short chapter but an important one. Yay! Vince has finally gotten through to Brian and he's starting to accept that what happened with Jesse isn't his fault. Woo! Of course there's still Mia to deal with. What to do with her?**

 **Until next time,**

 **Bye x**


	15. Vince Chapter Fifteen

**And I'm back! Woohoo! Okay so first day of a brand new year and I'll start by updating! Yay!**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

* * *

 **Vince Chapter Fifteen**

 **By Rosa241**

It took three days after visiting Jessie for everyone to slowly start getting back to some semblance of normality.

The first day had been spent in almost complete silence. Leon had pretty much locked himself in his room when he'd got back to the house after seeing the grave. It was harder on him in a lot of ways. Jessie was his first friend here. After moving out here our late brother had been the first person the man had come to call a friend. They were closer than any of us were to him.

Dom and Letty spent most of the first day sifting through the house and pretending to clean things. Every now and then he'd look up at me and glare. The memory of my words wouldn't leave him for a while. Good. He's needed to hear them for a long time now. If only I could get him to accept it but I know he won't. Not truly. He was the one whom Jessie's step dad had tasked with taking care of him when he got locked up. In Dom's eyes he may as well have killed the kid himself. As for Letty well she'd get back to being herself in time. She's never been one to admit weakness and opening up to anyone about how hard this is, even to Dom, took a lot out of her.

As for Brian…

I could tell exactly what was going on in my boyfriends head. Much like Dom my words from the previous day were swarming round his brain. For so long he's blamed himself for everything that went wrong. Maybe now he can finally begin to heal from this all. Don't get me wrong I know that he'll never fully recover either. Like Dom he'll always hold himself responsible deep down. Hopefully my words have eased the guilt in his heart. Hopefully.

Since then things have slowly improved. Leon finally came out of his room on the second day and, although subdued, he seemed better than before. It was around then that Rome showed up as well. He'd taken off the night before we went to visit Jessie. I get why. He didn't know him. It would just be awkward for him to be here watching us grieve for a kid he never met. Thankfully his return had sparked a smile in Brian and it warmed me to see. Brian considered Rome his brother and those feelings were clearly returned. He needs him around now more than ever.

"So what's the plan for today?" It doesn't surprise me that someone's finally asked. It _does_ surprise me that it's Mia though. Honestly I'd almost forgotten about her since she's been doing her upmost to avoid everyone since we got back home.

"We got to get the garage in working order." Now that the house was back to being our home again we could focus on getting the garage back to normal. We'd all be forever grateful that Mia found people to rent out the place but it was ours. That garage was as much our home as the house itself. For a moment Dom had been worried that the tenants wouldn't want to leave. Thankfully he'd been wrong.

Turns out they were more than happy to go.

The couple that were running the place weren't used to running a business. At all. Almost two years of running the place had taken it's toll on them both. Sure the business was still in working order but the place had suffered. It looked run down now. I could see the pain in Dom's eyes when we'd pulled up last night. It was hard for him to look at the business that he cared for so much. That place was his life.

 _Flashback:_

" _Wait so you think that after we've been running this place for all this time you can just waltz in and take it back?" The screeching of the womans voice tells me two things. Number one she sounds like a child when she's angry and number two maybe this won't be so easy. After all these people have some kind of contract don't they?_

" _That's pretty much it." Well done Dom. Diplomacy at it's best._

 _The young couple share a look which I'm almost certain spells trouble for both of us._

" _Oh thank god!" The whispered words shocked us both. Wait what? They're happy? No. Looking at both of their faces they were far from happy, they were ecstatic. "Thank you!"_

 _Neither Dom nor myself expect the hug that she engulfs us both in. Good lord. For a tiny woman she sure is strong. Turning back to her husband with a smile that threatens to break her face in half she speaks again._

" _Rich I want to go home. Like right now!" Shaking her head at him she grabs the bag off of the counter and is out the door like a shot._

 _The look my brother gives me just about sums up my own feelings on the matter. Who the hell kind of people did Mia find to run this place?_

" _We'll um…we'll clear out the rest of our things in the morning. We'll be gone as soon as we can." As he gives us both an awkward hand shake and makes to leave I catch his muttered words._

" _About damn time."_

 _Well that went better than I expected._

 _End Flashback_

Dom had found out this morning, after the couple had come over to drop off the keys, that they'd almost gotten divorced over this. Apparently Rich had been determined that he could run a garage whilst his wife was anything but convinced. He'd accepted and signed the contract from Mia without even talking to her first. From the expression on her face when she happily divulged the entire story to a less than enthusiastic Dom she'd been anything but impressed at him. As it turns out he couldn't in fact run a garage and was thrilled to be handing it over. Of course judging from the looks he was giving his wife she wasn't giving him a choice in the matter.

 _No doubt whose calling the shots in that marriage._

The garage seemed better in the light of day, not by much mind you, but it wasn't as bad. Maybe it was just wishful thinking or happiness at the thought of finally being back here. Either way it looked like heaven to me.

 _Finally we're home._

* * *

 **Okay so I only have one, maybe two, more chapters of this to go. This wasn't intended to be so long. In fact I'd originally intended to have Brian join the others on the road and leave it there. I never intended for them to come home. Oh well.**

 **Until next time,**

 **Bye x**


End file.
